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Hong Kong elections: Record numbers vote in district council polls Hong Kong elections: Pro-democracy group 'makes big gains'
(32 minutes later)
Voters have turned out in record numbers to cast their ballots in Hong Kong's district council elections. Hong Kong's opposition pro-democracy movement has made strong gains in the Chinese territory's district council elections, local media reports say.
It took 138 of the first 157 seats declared, according to the South China Morning Post newspaper. Pro-Beijing candidates took just 16.
Voters turned out in record numbers to cast their ballots.
More than 2.9m people voted, a turnout of more than 71%. Just 1.47m voted at the last such poll.More than 2.9m people voted, a turnout of more than 71%. Just 1.47m voted at the last such poll.
The election is seen as a test of support for embattled Chief Executive Carrie Lam. The election is being seen as a test of support for embattled Chief Executive Carrie Lam. Pro-democracy protest groups want the vote to send a message to the Chinese government after five months of unrest and anti-government protests.
Pro-democracy protest groups hope the vote will send a message to the Chinese government after five months of unrest and anti-government protests. Pro-Beijing candidates had called on voters to support them in order to express frustration at the upheaval caused in recent months by continuous clashes between protesters and police.
In the run-up to the election, pro-democracy protest groups had urged people not to cause disruption. No trouble has been reported so far.
Long queues formed on Sunday amid fears polls might be closed by authorities if violence disrupted the election.
A record 4.1 million people had registered to vote, or more than half the population of 7.4 million.A record 4.1 million people had registered to vote, or more than half the population of 7.4 million.
Pro-democracy campaigners hope they will be able to increase their representation on Hong Kong's district council, which traditionally has some influence in choosing the city's chief executive. Hong Kong's district councils traditionally have some influence in choosing the city's chief executive.
Pro-Beijing candidates are urging voters to support them in order to express frustration at the upheaval caused by continuous clashes between protesters and police. What's the latest?
What's happening? Some notable names ran in the elections, including pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho, one of the most controversial politicians in the city, who is reported to have suffered a shock defeat.
Polls opened at 07:30 local time (23:30 GMT) on Sunday and and closed at 22:30. Counting of ballots is under way. He was stabbed earlier this month by a man pretending to be a supporter. The lawmaker has openly voiced his support for Hong Kong's police force on multiple occasions. He was in July filmed shaking hands with a group of men - suspected of being triad gangsters - who later assaulted pro-democracy protesters.
Jimmy Sham, a political activist who has recently risen to prominence as the leader of the Civil Human Rights Front - a campaign group responsible for organising some of the mass protest marches - is reported to have won a seat after running for the first time.
Mr Sham has also been attacked twice, once apparently with hammers. Photographs showed him lying on the street covered in blood.
Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong was barred from running in the elections, a move he referred to as "political screening", but the pro-democracy candidate who replaced him is said to have won..
More than 1,000 candidates ran for 452 district council seats which, for the first time, were all contested. A further 27 seats are allocated to representatives of rural districts.More than 1,000 candidates ran for 452 district council seats which, for the first time, were all contested. A further 27 seats are allocated to representatives of rural districts.
Currently, pro-Beijing parties hold the majority of these seats. Pro-Beijing parties held the majority of these seats ahead of the election.
Police were seen outside some polling stations and on the streets but correspondents said they kept a low profile.Police were seen outside some polling stations and on the streets but correspondents said they kept a low profile.
"Facing the extremely challenging situation, I'm pleased to say... we have a relatively calm and peaceful environment for [the] election today," Carrie Lam said after voting."Facing the extremely challenging situation, I'm pleased to say... we have a relatively calm and peaceful environment for [the] election today," Carrie Lam said after voting.
Ballots send a message
By Jonathan Head, BBC News, Hong Kong
This was a local election, for largely powerless district councils, yet it felt far more significant.
Queues formed early at Taikoo Shing in beautiful sunny weather, and by the time voting began they snaked around the block. The picture was similar at other polling stations. Local issues were on the minds of some voters, but the importance of this election as a clear test of support for the government and its opponents was lost on very few.
Some voters were uneasy about expressing any opinions in front of others. The sight of Democratic Party candidate Andrew Chiu sitting outside, chatting to reporters, and showing the bandaged left side of his head where an assailant bit off part of his ear earlier this month, offered a grim reminder of how far Hong Kong's crisis has divided communities and families.
Nonetheless some told us they treasured this opportunity to send a message with their ballots, a free vote with a wide choice of candidates they said they were all too aware is not available in other parts of China.
Ten out of thirty-five seats in this district were uncontested at the last local council election, where pro-government parties have long enjoyed the advantage of better funding. This time every seat is being contested.
The opposition pan-democratic alliance has adopted the five demands of the protest movement as its slogan, and hopes public sentiment over the five-month crisis will give it an opportunity to take control of many of the district councils for the first time.
Why are these elections important?Why are these elections important?
District councils themselves have very little actual power, so usually these elections take place on a very local level.District councils themselves have very little actual power, so usually these elections take place on a very local level.
But this election is different.But this election is different.
They are the first elections since anti-government protests started in June, so they will act as a litmus test, reflecting how much support there is for the current government.They are the first elections since anti-government protests started in June, so they will act as a litmus test, reflecting how much support there is for the current government.
"People in Hong Kong have begun to see this election as an additional way to articulate and express their views on the state of Hong Kong in general and the government of Carrie Lam," Kenneth Chan, associate professor at Hong Kong Baptist University, told Reuters news agency."People in Hong Kong have begun to see this election as an additional way to articulate and express their views on the state of Hong Kong in general and the government of Carrie Lam," Kenneth Chan, associate professor at Hong Kong Baptist University, told Reuters news agency.
Then there is the issue of Hong Kong's chief executive. Under Hong Kong's electoral system, 117 of the district councillors will also sit on the 1,200-member committee that votes for the chief executive.Then there is the issue of Hong Kong's chief executive. Under Hong Kong's electoral system, 117 of the district councillors will also sit on the 1,200-member committee that votes for the chief executive.
So a pro-democracy district win could translate eventually to a bigger share, and say, in who becomes the city's next leader.So a pro-democracy district win could translate eventually to a bigger share, and say, in who becomes the city's next leader.
Who is running?
There are some notable names running in the elections, including pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho, one of the most controversial politicians in the city. He was stabbed earlier this month by a man pretending to be a supporter.
The lawmaker has openly voiced his support for Hong Kong's police force on multiple occasions. He was in July filmed shaking hands with a group of men - suspected of being triad gangsters - who later assaulted pro-democracy protesters.
Jimmy Sham, a political activist who has recently risen to prominence as the leader of the Civil Human Rights Front - a campaign group responsible for organising some of the mass protest marches - is running for the first time.
Mr Sham has also been attacked twice, once apparently with hammers. Photographs showed him lying on the street covered in blood.
Who is not running is also notable. Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong was barred from running in the elections, a move he referred to as "political screening".