HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s new-look Legislative Council (LegCo) election concluded late Saturday, December 7, delivering a roster of successful candidates across the geographical, functional, and Election Committee constituencies. The city saw a slight uptick in turnout for geographical constituencies, reaching 31.43%—1.23 percentage points higher than the previous overall figure—as nearly 1.3 million voters participated in the polls, which ran from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
The vote marks the latest iteration of the city’s legislative process, following significant electoral reforms. Key government officials, including Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang and Electoral Affairs Commission Chairman Barnabas Luk, initiated the process of emptying ballot boxes at the central counting station in the Convention and Exhibition Centre shortly after voting ceased at 11:30 p.m. Local media provided continuous coverage as results filtered through the early morning hours.
Election Committee Confirms 40 Winners
The first results declared came from the critically important Election Committee constituency. This bloc, mandated to select a large portion of LegCo members, saw 40 of its 50 candidates successfully elected. The final count for this segment was announced at 12:55 a.m., shortly after completing the tally which recorded two invalid ballots.
High vote-getters in the Election Committee stream included Yiu Pak-leung (1,397 votes), Chan Hoi-king (1,386 votes), and Li Chun-keung (1,354 votes), underscoring the strong organizational backing for many of the victors. The results solidify a governing majority committed to the newly structured political framework.
Regional and Sectoral Results Declared
Throughout the predawn hours, results continued to be announced for the remaining seats in the geographical constituencies (local districts) and functional constituencies (professional and sectoral groups).
The geographical constituencies saw intense competition across the ten designated regions, with lists of candidates vying for seats in areas such as Hong Kong Island East (including candidates like Ng Chau-pei and Chik Kit-ling) and Kowloon Central (featuring candidates like Lee Wai-king and Yeung Yung-kit). The voting patterns in these districts offer a localized snapshot of voter engagement under the revised system.
In the functional constituencies, which represent specific economic and social sectors, a broad range of professionals secured their positions. Notable victors included:
- Education: Tang Fei and Cheung Chak-sum
- Legal: Lee Wing-cheung and Chan Hiu-fung
- Engineering: Fok Wai-tung and Pok Kwok-ming
- Labour: Su Pak-chan, Chow Siu-chung, Tam Kam-lin, Li Kwong-yu, and Lam Wai-kong
The successful candidates from the functional groups, spanning industries from finance and real estate to healthcare and agriculture, are expected to bring specialized expertise to the Legislative Council’s policy debates.
Implications of the New Council
The final composition of the Legislative Council, shaped by the three electoral streams, indicates the full implementation of the framework set forth by the central government. Analysts suggest the new LegCo is primed to prioritize stability and swift legislative passage of policy, particularly those concerning economic development and national security.
While the geographical turnout showed a minor increase, the overall figure signals constrained political participation compared to historical levels before the electoral overhaul. The next legislative session will be closely watched both locally and internationally, as the newly elected body begins its work of enacting legislation and scrutinizing government policy in the evolving political landscape of Hong Kong.
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