Hong Kong recorded over 40,000 invalid ballots – or 3.12 per cent of all votes cast in the geographical constituencies – during Sunday’s “patriots only” legislative elections, a new high since the 1997 Handover.
The figure was derived by comparing the total number of valid ballots with the number of votes cast in the geographical constituencies, which saw a provisional turnout of 31.9 per cent.
A total of 1,317,682 voters cast their ballots across the 10 geographical constituencies on Sunday, with 1,276,535 votes counted as valid.
This means that 41,147 votes – or 3.12 per cent – were deemed invalid and not counted. The figure surpassed the previous record of 2.02 per cent of invalid ballots cast in the 2021 Legislative Council (LegCo) elections, the first race held after Beijing overhauled the city’s electoral system.
Following the electoral revamp in 2021, the 20 geographical seats in the 90-member LegCo are the only ones elected by the general public. Before the overhaul, half of the 70-seat legislature was directly elected.
The official number for invalid ballots has not yet been released. In the previous six LegCo elections before the overhaul, invalid votes accounted for between 0.57 and 1.52 per cent of the total.
The issue of invalid votes, including blank votes, has come under the spotlight since the 2021 LegCo polls, after self-exiled democrats called on Hongkongers to cast blank votes as a form of protest against the electoral changes.
Although casting a blank protest ballot or not voting is legal, encouraging others to do so is unlawful. Anyone found guilty of violating the ordinance faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of HK$200,000.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) arrested four people on Sunday for allegedly posting comments on social media urging Hongkongers not to vote or to cast an invalid ballot in the elections.
Including the latest arrests, the ICAC has apprehended a total of 11 individuals on suspicion of making similar calls. Last month, a 68-year-old man was remanded in custody after being charged with sedition for allegedly publishing social media posts calling on others not to vote or to cast invalid ballots.
A total of 161 legislative candidates vied for the 90 LegCo seats. Among the newly elected lawmakers, 40 are first-timers, with 31-year-old retired Olympic fencing champion Vivian Kong the youngest member in the new legislature.
In March 2021, Beijing passed legislation to ensure “patriots” govern Hong Kong. The move reduced democratic representation in the legislature, tightened control of elections and introduced a pro-Beijing vetting panel to select candidates. Authorities say the overhaul ensures the city’s stability and prosperity. But the changes also prompted international condemnation, as much of the traditional opposition remains behind bars, in self-exile or has quit politics.
