Pilot Arrangements of Designated Polling Stations and Outreach Polling Stations for Residential Care Homes

Purpose and scope of arrangements

In recent years, the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) has heard views from different sectors of the community, including the Legislative Council, that electors who have to work on the polling day, due to their job nature, working hours and duty arrangements, etc., may not have sufficient time to, before or after work, or during meal breaks, travel to and from their allocated polling stations to cast their votes. These electors are therefore not able to exercise their right to vote.

In response, the EAC will introduce several Designated Polling Stations as pilot arrangements in the 2025 Legislative Council General Election for the electors with specific needs.

Designated Polling Station

Polling hours will be from 8:30 am to 9:30 pm on the polling day (7 December 2025).

There are three categories of Designated Polling Stations:

• Civil Servant Designated Polling Station (CSDPS)
  The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) will set up a total of 10 CSDPSs. This is to facilitate civil servants in disciplined services and those who will have to be on duty near the CSDPSs, so that they can return to their duties as soon as possible after voting.
• Hospital Authority Healthcare Staff Designated Polling Station (HAHSDPS)
  The REO will set up a HAHSDPS near each of the seven largest‑scale hospitals. This is to facilitate healthcare staff who will be on duty at the relevant hospitals to cast their votes.
• Ethnic Minorities Designated Polling Station (EMDPS)
  The REO will set up an EMDPS near the Wan Chai Khalsa Diwan Sikh Temple and Kowloon Masjid respectively to facilitate the ethnic minority electors who will attend religious activities at these two venues to cast their votes.

Outreach Polling Station for Residential Care Homes

Polling hours will be from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm on the polling day (7 December 2025).

To facilitate residents in residential care homes for the elderly (RCHEs) and residential care homes for persons with disabilities (RCHDs) to cast their votes of their own will in a familiar, safe and reassuring environment, the REO will set up Outreach Polling Stations for Residential Care Homes at premises where the residential care homes are situated.

As a pilot arrangement, the REO will provide the relevant services to 11 RCHEs and four RCHDs, and will also make available the services to the staff of the said residential care homes to facilitate them to return to work after casting their votes.

List of Designated Polling Stations and Outreach Polling Stations for Residential Care Homes

Registration arrangements

• The pilot arrangements of Designated Polling Stations and Outreach Polling Stations for Residential Care Homes are only applicable to specific groups of electors. Participation in the pilot arrangement is entirely voluntary, and the relevant electors may decide for themselves whether to take part. The REO will liaise with the relevant bureaux, departments and groups for the related registration arrangements.

Documents to bring on Polling Day

• Please refer to Document(s) Required for Collecting a Ballot Paper.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Please refer to Annex.

Enquiry

• Email to: reoenq@reo.gov.hk
• Hotline: 2891 1001 (service hours: 8:45 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday)
  
   

  (The hotline service hours will be extended one week before the polling day as follows:
  1 - 4 December 2025 (Monday to Thursday): 8:45 am – 8 pm;
  5 - 6 December 2025 (Friday to Saturday): 8:45 am – 9 pm; and
  7 December 2025 (Sunday, the polling day): 7 am – midnight)