HONG KONG—Voters across Hong Kong cast ballots today in the 2025 Legislative Council election, which featured significantly extended polling hours designed to boost turnout, though initial figures reflect only a marginal improvement compared to the previous cycle. The day-long vote, which began at 7:30 a.m. and will conclude at 11:30 p.m.—a 16-hour window—determines the 90 seats in the legislature, allocated among three distinct streams: the Election Committee (40 seats), functional constituencies (30 seats), and geographical constituencies (20 seats).
By 1:30 p.m. local time, the turnout rate for the geographical constituencies stood at 15.18%, involving 627,139 voters. This figure represents a slight uptick from the 2021 legislative election, which recorded a 12.08% turnout by 12:30 p.m. However, analysts caution that the comparison is imperfect, as polling began one hour earlier today.
Regional Disparities Emerge Early
Geographical turnout rates showed noticeable regional variation early in the process. New Territories Southwest reported the highest participation rate at midday, reaching 15.88%. Conversely, Kowloon West registered the lowest rate at 14.53%.
Intriguingly, the region of New Territories Northeast, which has been affected by a recent fire incident in Tai Po, recorded the second-lowest turnout at 14.55% by 1:30 p.m., placing it below the city-wide average. Typically, social and local events, even disruptive ones, can sometimes galvanize or depress local voter participation differently across districts.
The election utilizes 615 general polling stations situated primarily in schools and government facilities, requiring voters to present only their Hong Kong identity card to exercise their franchise at their designated station.
Breakdown of Early Turnout Metrics
While early figures suggest slightly higher participation rates in the geographical districts compared to 2021, functional constituencies and the Election Committee stream also recorded movement. By 8:30 a.m., shortly after polls opened, the functional constituency turnout was 2.31%, while the Election Committee saw a high initial burst of 15.48%.
The sustained flow of voters throughout the morning was tracked closely:
- 8:30 a.m.: 1.65% (67,991 voters)
- 9:30 a.m.: 4.18% (172,537 voters)
- 11:30 a.m.: 10.33% (426,900 voters)
- 12:30 p.m.: 12.99% (536,527 voters)
The early surge in the Election Committee voting is typical, as this block comprises institutional voters and nominated individuals who often cast their ballots early in the day.
Focus on the New Legislative Composition
This election solidifies the new composition of the Legislative Council, shaped by recent electoral reforms. Under the revised framework, only 20 seats are directly elected by the public through geographical constituencies, concentrating most of the power within the Election Committee (40 seats) and the various functional constituencies (30 seats).
The long polling period, a key feature of this election cycle, was implemented to maximize resident convenience and engagement. However, the true impact of the extended hours on overall voter engagement will only become clear once final tally results are announced following the close of polls later tonight. Observers will continue to monitor whether the efforts to facilitate voting translate into a significantly higher ultimate participation rate compared to previous elections under the pre-reform system.
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