Hong Kong’s “patriots only” legislative elections are expected to go ahead as scheduled on the coming Sunday, amidst speculation that the polls might be delayed in light of the fatal Tai Po fire.
Local media reported on Sunday that some election candidates had been notified that election forums would proceed next week.
After the fire broke out on Wednesday, Chief Executive John Lee was twice asked by reporters if the Legislative Council (LegCo) elections might be rescheduled.
On both occasions, Lee said election-related activities, including election forums, had already stopped and that emergency response to the fatal fire was the government’s priority at the time.
“Currently, the entire government will be fully engaged in handling this major disaster… as for other things, we will make a decision in the coming days,” he said in the early hours on Thursday.
The death toll for the fire rose to 146 on Sunday, after police from the force’s victims identification unit completed searches for bodies at two more towers in the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court.
One election candidate whom HKFP reached out to said he had not received any confirmation that the elections would be postponed and he expected they would proceed as scheduled.
‘Sombre’ atmosphere
Election activities for the December 7 polls were in full swing, with daily election forums and government departments holding events to promote voting after record-low turnouts since Beijing overhauled the electoral system in 2021 to ensure only patriots could run for office.
Eight forums were scheduled to take place from Thursday to Sunday this week.
Hong Kong’s election laws permit polls to be postponed for no more than 14 days, beyond which emergency legislation would need to be invoked.
Lau Siu-kai, a consultant for semi-official Beijing think tank the Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies, told iCable he believed the elections should take place as planned.
He said that significant preparatory work had already been done for the elections, and that postponing them would cause legal complications.
The “sombre” atmosphere will not change so immediately even if the elections are delayed, he added.
“Holding the elections on time, even if voter turnout slightly decreases as a result, can swiftly elect a new Legislative Council to collaborate with the government in addressing the various issues brought about by the disaster, which may be more meaningful for Hong Kong,” he said in Cantonese.
