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A Year After Democracy Protests, Hong Kong Voters Flock to Polls A Year After Democracy Protests, Hong Kong Vote Reflects Split on China
(about 20 hours later)
HONG KONG — Voters here went to the polls on Sunday, choosing hundreds of neighborhood representatives in the first election since concern about China’s influence over the electoral process set off immense sit-in protests last year. HONG KONG — Voters here went to the polls on Sunday, choosing hundreds of neighborhood representatives in the first election since concern about China’s influence over the electoral process set off immense sit-in protests last year.
Turnout for the election of 363 district councilors, who serve four-year terms, was higher than in previous contests in 2011 and 2007, with about 47 percent of eligible voters casting ballots, the government reported. An additional 68 seats were uncontested. Turnout for the election of 363 district councilors, who serve four-year terms, was higher than in contests in 2011 and 2007, with about 47 percent of eligible voters casting ballots, the government reported. An additional 68 seats were uncontested.
The results were mixed, as several participants in last year’s pro-democracy “Umbrella Movement” won seats in some areas, and supporters of closer ties with the central government in Beijing gained ground in others. The results were mixed, as several participants in last year’s pro-democracy Umbrella Movement won seats in some areas, and supporters of closer ties with the central government in Beijing gained ground in others.
District-level lawmakers, who on average serve constituencies of fewer than 20,000 people, are more focused on day-to-day livelihood issues, like pushing for better bus service and securing funds for improvements and repairs to public facilities such as roads, parks and street signs. District-level lawmakers, who on average serve constituencies of fewer than 20,000 people, are focused on day-to-day issues, like pushing for better bus service and securing funds for improvements to public facilities such as roads, parks and street signs.
But the tension over last year’s protests, known as Occupy Central, which shut down some major thoroughfares in Hong Kong for more than two months, was evident in the election on Sunday as well. In one densely populated region in Hong Kong’s New Territories characterized by towering apartment blocks, pro-Beijing and pro-democracy, or pan-democratic, constituencies were divided by one street. But the tension over last year’s protests, known as Occupy Central, which shut down some major thoroughfares in Hong Kong for more than two months, was evident in the election on Sunday. In one densely populated region, pro-Beijing and pro-democracy, or pan-democratic, constituencies were divided by one street.
On one side, dominated by private apartment blocks built over the Po Lam subway station, one voter, who would give only his last name, Law, said he had cast his ballot for a pan-democratic candidate because he “hates the Communist Party.” Across the street, the top two vote-getters in a district centered on a publicly funded housing project represented pro-Beijing parties. There, the incumbent, Alfred Au Ning-fat, was re-elected.
Next year, voters will elect people to Hong Kong’s 70-member Legislative Council, the city’s top lawmaking body. In June, the legislature rejected a voting plan backed by the Beijing government that would have allowed the city’s more than three million eligible voters to directly elect Hong Kong’s top official, the chief executive. That plan, which allowed only candidates screened by a committee dominated by pro-Beijing loyalists to appear on the ballot, set off the Occupy Central movement last year.Next year, voters will elect people to Hong Kong’s 70-member Legislative Council, the city’s top lawmaking body. In June, the legislature rejected a voting plan backed by the Beijing government that would have allowed the city’s more than three million eligible voters to directly elect Hong Kong’s top official, the chief executive. That plan, which allowed only candidates screened by a committee dominated by pro-Beijing loyalists to appear on the ballot, set off the Occupy Central movement last year.
In 2017, Hong Kong will hold elections for the chief executive. That contest will be decided by a 1,200-member unelected committee dominated by pro-Beijing groups including tycoons, farmers and fishermen, pro-Communist labor organizations and industry groups. In 2017, Hong Kong will hold elections for the chief executive. That contest will be decided by a 1,200-member unelected committee dominated by pro-Beijing groups, including tycoons, farmers and fishermen, pro-Communist labor organizations and industry groups.