Polling for Hong Kong Legislative Council ends with over 31% turnout

ISTANBUL

Polling for the Hong Kong Legislative Council closed on Sunday with a higher voting ratio than in 2021 polls, the South China Morning Post reported.

Voting in the eighth-term Legislative Council election ended at 11.30 pm (1530GMT Sunday), with over 600 polling stations serving approximately 4.13 million registered voters, days after the special administrative region's deadliest fire in decades that killed 159 people.

Turnout for Sunday’s election reached 31.43%, with 1.3 million general voters casting their ballots, surpassing the 30.2% cumulative turnout rate in the 2021 election.

It, however, remained below the 52.28% recorded in 2016.

Long lines formed outside many polling stations before voting started at 7.30 am local time (2330GMT Saturday).

The new Legislative Council term will consist of 90 members, including 40 elected by the Election Committee, 30 by functional constituencies, and 20 elected through direct elections in geographical constituencies. A total of 161 candidates are running.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu cast his vote at Raimondi College on Robinson Road. Speaking to the press, Lee urged all eligible voters to participate, emphasizing that each vote represents a step toward reform and a collective effort for progress.

The Legislative Council will begin its four-year term on Jan. 1, 2026.

Earlier, the chief executive said the election would go ahead on Sunday as scheduled, despite earlier speculation that it could be postponed due to the fire.

Hong Kong saw the worst fire in decades on Nov. 26 in the Tai Po area of Wang Fuk Court, which lasted 43 hours and engulfed seven residential blocks, including more than 1,900 apartments.

*Aamir Latif in Karachi also contributed to this report