Election Brief

Eligibility to be nominated as a Candidate

• has reached 18 years of age;
• is registered for a Geographical Constituency; and
• is registered as a voter for that subsector (only applicable to the Heung Yee Kuk, Representatives of members of Area Committees, District Fight Crime Committees, and District Fire Safety Committees of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon or New Territories, and Representatives of Hong Kong members of relevant national organisations subsectors where there are individual voters) or has substantial connection with that subsector.

Polling Arrangement for 2025 Election Committee Subsector By-elections

Where to Vote

Each voter or authorized representative will be assigned to a designated ordinary polling station to cast his/her vote(s).

A voter or an authorized representative will receive a poll card showing information about the designated polling station at least five days before the polling day.

All ordinary polling stations are accessible to persons who are wheelchair users or have mobility difficulty.

Voter or authorized representative in custody will be arranged to vote at a dedicated polling station in a penal institution or police station as appropriate.

If voters need assistance in interpreting the information on voting, they can call the Centre for Harmony and Enhancement of Ethnic Minority Residents through the following hotline from 25 to 29 August 2025, and from 1 to 7 September 2025.

How to Vote

A voter or an authorized representative is required to bring along the original of his/her valid Hong Kong Identity Card (“HKID card”) or other specified alternative document(s) (please refer to the section “Document(s) Required for Collecting a Ballot Paper” below for details) to his/her designated polling station(s) as shown on the poll card on 7 September 2025 (Sunday) during the polling hours (9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) and present it to the polling staff inside the polling station.

The polling staff will use a tablet of the Electronic Poll Register (EPR) System to scan the valid HKID card to check whether he/she is a voter and/or an authorized representative of related subsector(s), and the number of ballot paper(s) he/she is entitled to/as well as the number and types of ballot paper(s) that he/she is entitled to. After verification, the polling staff will record the issuance in the EPR System and issue the ballot paper(s) to the voter or authorized representative.

After collection of ballot paper(s), the voter or authorized representative should follow the instructions given by polling staff and printed on the ballot paper(s) and on the notices inside the voting compartment. The voter or authorized representative should mark the ballot paper(s) inside a voting compartment. In gist, please:

• shade the ovals opposite the names of the candidates of his/her choice with the pen provided;
• vote for no more than the prescribed number of seats in the relevant subsector (that number will be shown on the ballot paper); and
• put the ballot paper, unfolded, into the ballot box with the marked side facing down.

Each voting compartment should be used by one voter or authorized representative at the same time. Based on the principles of the autonomy of voting and secrecy of votes, it is prohibited under the law to have anyone (even if he/she is the voter’s/authorized representative’s relative or friend) to accompany or assist the voter to cast his/her vote.

Voters or authorized representatives who are unable to cast their votes on their own can, in accordance with the law, seek help from the Presiding Officer or the deputy to mark the ballot papers on their behalf according to their voting choice. The whole process will be witnessed by another polling staff to ensure that the voting will be conducted in a fair manner.

If a voter or an authorized representative makes an error in marking a ballot paper or has inadvertently spoiled a ballot paper, he/she may return the ballot paper to the Presiding Officer and ask for a replacement.

Document(s) Required for Collecting a Ballot Paper

Under the prevailing legislation, a voter or an authorized representative applying for a ballot paper should produce the original of his/her valid HKID card or the following specified alternative document(s):

• the original of a valid HKSAR Passport; or
• the original of Certificate of Exemption; or
• the original of an acknowledgement of application for the valid HKID card; or
• the original of the person’s valid seaman’s identity book; or
• the original of the person’s valid document of identity for visa purposes; or
• a document evidencing a report to a police officer of the loss or destruction of the person’s valid HKID card or the Certificate of Exemption or the acknowledgement of application for the valid HKID card (commonly referred to as “a memo of lost property”), together with the original of a valid passport* or similar travel document (e.g. a passport other than the HKSAR Passport or the Home Return Permit) showing his/her name and photograph.
  * British National (Overseas) passport is not a valid travel document and proof of identity.

For details, please refer to Section 50 of the Electoral Affairs Commission (Electoral Procedure) (EC) Regulation (Cap. 541I).

Special Queue for Voters in Need

Only voters or authorized representatives are allowed entry into a polling station.

Under the "fair and equal treatment" principle, voters or authorized representatives must queue to vote. Voters or authorized representatives requiring assistance from others for entering into a polling station may make a request to the Presiding Officer.

If the Presiding Officer is satisfied that a person who arrives at, or is present in, the polling station to vote falls within below description, the Presiding Officer may direct the person to immediately proceed to the designated area (or the end of the queue if there is a queue extending from that area), to apply for a ballot paper —

• who is not less than 70 years of age*;
• who is pregnant; or
• who is not able to queue for a long time or has difficulty in queuing because of illness, injury, disability or dependence on mobility aids.

* Including the following person —

• whose document shows the year of birth, without the month and day of birth, of the person which is 70 years earlier than the year within which the polling day falls; or
• whose document shows, without the day of birth, the year of birth of the person which is 70 years earlier than the year within which the polling day falls and the month of birth of the person which is same as or earlier than the month within which the polling day falls.

The Presiding Officer will also designate a seating area inside the polling station for the above voters or authorized representatives to take a rest, if they so wish. After resting, they can queue up along the special queue before being directed to the ballot paper issuing desks to apply for a ballot paper.

Based on the principles of the autonomy of voting and secrecy of votes, the law prohibits anyone (even if he/she is a voter’s relative or friend) from accompanying or assisting the voter or the authorized representative to cast his/her vote. A voter or an authorized representative who has difficulty in marking the ballot paper by himself/herself may, in accordance with the law, ask the Presiding Officer or the deputy to mark the ballot paper on his/her behalf according to his/her voting preference, in the presence of one polling staff as a witness. The Presiding Officer has been allowed to exercise discretion, where appropriate, to allow accompanying persons to use the special queue together with voters who have a genuine need to be accompanied by others.

Checklist for Voters/Authorized Representatives

According to the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (Cap. 554) enforced by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (“ICAC”), a voter or an authorized representative MUST NOT conduct the following acts within Hong Kong or elsewhere:

• Solicit or accept any advantage (including money, gift, etc.), food, drink or entertainment from any person for not voting at an election, or voting or not voting for a particular candidate or particular candidates at an election.
• Offer any advantage (including money, gift, etc.), food, drink or entertainment to any person as an inducement to or a reward for the latter not to vote at an election, or to vote or not to vote for a particular candidate or particular candidates at an election.
• Use or threaten to use force or duress against any person for inducing the latter to vote or not to vote at an election; or to vote or not to vote for a particular candidate or particular candidates at an election.
• Induce any person by deception not to vote at an election, or to vote or not to vote for a particular candidate or particular candidates at an election.
• Willfully obstruct and prevent any person from voting at an election.
• Vote at an election knowing that he/she is not entitled to do so; or vote at an election after having knowingly or recklessly given materially false or misleading information (e.g. false residential address) to an electoral officer.
• Incur election expenses for a candidate at an election without being authorized in writing by the candidate as the election expense agent.
• Publish a materially false or misleading statement of fact about a particular candidate or particular candidates at an election.
• Publish an election advertisement that includes the support from any person or organization without prior written consent from the supporting person or organization.
• Incite another person not to vote or to cast invalid vote at an election by carrying out any activity in public during the election period.

ICAC has set up a Clean Election Website to provide reference materials and information on publicity programmes for election stakeholders. Please visit www.icac.org.hk/elections.

The following actions are also prohibited in a polling station:

• Communicate with other voters or authorized representatives including showing his/her vote on the ballot paper to others or use mobile telephones or any other device for electronic communication.
• Film, take photographs or make any audio or video recording.
• Ask other voters or authorized representatives to mark his/her ballot paper. In case of need, voters or authorized representatives may, in accordance of the law, request the Presiding Officer to mark his/her ballot paper in the presence of a polling officer.
• Interfere with other voters or authorized representatives who are casting their votes.

Arrangement for Supplementary Nomination for EC Members returned through Nomination

• For subsectors with vacancies for EC members returned through nomination, each relevant designated body should nominate a number of persons selected by it to become its representatives in the EC. The nominee should meet the following requirements:
  1. is both registered and eligible to be registered under the LCO as an elector for a Geographical Constituency and is not disqualified from being so registered; and
  2. has a substantial connection with the relevant subsector.
• If the number of nominees is in excess of the number of vacant seats for the designated body, the designated body should indicate which of the nominees are to be given preference in filling the vacancy; and rank the excess nominees, if more than one, in order of priority. If the designated body does not indicate which nominees are to be given preference, then the Returning Officer should determine the order of priority of those nominees by drawing lots.
• The CERC is to determine whether or not the nominees are validly nominated in accordance with the order of priority indicated in the nomination form or as determined by the Returning Officer by drawing lots until the number of vacant seats for the designated body are all filled.
• The CERC should declare the nominees who are validly nominated as the members of the EC in accordance with the regulations.

Registration of Ex-officio Members

• All ex-officio members are required to submit registration forms to the Electoral Registration Officer and the validity of their registration will be determined by the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (“CERC”). Generally speaking, the holders of the specified offices in each of the subsectors (i.e. specified persons) may be registered as the ex-officio members of that subsector. However, under the following circumstances, the specified persons may designate another person (i.e. designated person) who is holding an office in a relevant body to be registered as the ex-officio member of that subsector:
  1. the specified person is ineligible to be registered as ex-officio member, including:
     • he is not registered as an elector (or has not made an application to be so registered) under the Legislative Council Ordinance (Cap. 542) (“LCO”) in the existing Geographical Constituencies final register or is disqualified from being registered as an elector for a Geographical Constituency; or
     • he is a principal official appointed pursuant to a nomination under Article 48(5) of the Basic Law; a directorate officer of the Government; an Administrative Officer of the Government; an Information Officer of the Government; a police officer; or any other civil servant who is holding a specified office in his or her official capacity; or
  2. the specified person is holding more than one specified office, except for the subsector the substitution arrangement of which is already specified in the law or non-applicable subsectors.
• An ex-officio member or a holder of the specified office may not become an EC member through nomination or election. A specified person would be deemed to have resigned from the EC if he or she no longer holds the relevant specified office. Each person may only be registered as the ex-officio member of one subsector.