Hong Kong’s government spent around HK$1.22 billion to prepare for and hold last year’s “patriots-only” District Council election, which was marked by a record low voter turnout. It works out at just over HK$1,000 spent for each of the 1,195,331 voters.
A sum of HK$168 million was spent in the 2022-23 fiscal year and some HK$992 million was allocated the following year to promote and implement the election, the Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Bureau revealed in a written response to lawmakers.
The bureau said it also spent HK$58 million to encourage eligible voters to register.
Of the HK$992 million spent in 2023-24, HK$635 million was spent on holding the polls, including hiring venues, operating voting and counting stations, transport and printing.
Another HK$122 million was spent on publicity while staff remuneration cost HK$235 million.
HKFP has asked the Registration and Electoral Office how much was spent on the 2019 District Council Election.
Lawmakers Lai Tung-kwok and Chan Yung raised the question ahead of Legislative Council (LegCo) meetings to examine the government budget for this fiscal year.
Erick Tsang, the secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, was due to attend LegCo and address lawmakers on the questions on Thursday afternoon.
The bureau said it had “fully mobilised resources” to promote the election through “creative publicity means,” including holding the “Night Vibes District Council
Election” and “District Council Election Fun Day.”
Last year’s District Council election, the first held under an overhauled system that slashed democratic representation, saw a record-low turnout even though voting hours were extended due to a technical glitch.
Voter turnout was around 1.19 million people or 27.5 per cent – compared to 71.2 per cent for the 2019 District Council election, when democrats virtually swept the board amid the extradition bill protests.
Budget for coming LegCo election
The bureau in its written response said HK$379 million had been allocated to prepare for the LegCo election scheduled next year. It will be the second election for the legislature since Beijing overhauled Hong Kong’s election systems.
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. The Hong Kong government said the overhaul would ensure the city’s stability and prosperity. But the changes also prompted international condemnation, as it makes it near-impossible for pro-democracy candidates to stand.
Plans to overhaul the District Council elections were unveiled in May 2023 to ensure only “patriots” were elected, following a pro-democracy landslide at the last polls in 2019.
The number of seats chosen democratically by the public were slashed from 452 to 88 – reducing the power of public votes to a fifth. The rest are to be chosen by the city’s leader and government-appointed committees.
Constituency boundaries were redrawn, the opposition were shut out, voting hours were slashed by an hour, and each local council is to be chaired by a government official, similar to colonial-era arrangements. All candidates undergo national security vetting to ensure patriotism.
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