Pan-democrats from the Democratic Party and the Civic Party are rallying for votes ahead of this Sunday’s legislative election to win seats and stem falling support.
The Democratic Party has urged voters to elect them into the last of five seats in the District Council (second) functional constituency at a press conference on Thursday.
According to current polls, two pan-democrats, James To Kun-sun of the Democratic Party and Leung Yiu-chung of the party Neighbourhood and Worker’s Service Centre are set to win two of the seats. Meanwhile, Starry Lee Wai-king and Wong Kwok-hing, both of the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB), are poised to win two other seats.
Kwong Chun-yu, of the Democratic Party, currently possesses the same level of support as Holden Chow Ho-ding, of DAB. They will be in competition for the last seat in the 5-seat constituency.
To urged Hong Kong Island and New Territories East voters to support him, and for voters to back Kwong in the Kowloon and New Territories West districts. He said that they would both “do their very best” because they did not have the ability to plan strategic voting like the DAB.
Falling support
The Civic Party also held a press conference on Thursday citing the falling support of some of its candidates, including Kwok Ka-ki, Claudia Mo Man-ching, and Jeremy Tam Man-ho. According to polls, Mo, Tam and Kwok risk not winning a seat in their respective districts – Kowloon West, Kowloon East, and New Territories East.
Audrey Eu Yuet-mee, the party chairman, told local media she thinks that many already thought that the Civic Party had enough votes and were strategically giving their votes for those non pro-establishment candidates who were calling for votes. Alan Leong Kah-kit, the party leader, said that voters should support who they want to win, lest they regret it for years later.
Tam said that he hoped voters understood that “if the ballot doesn’t get into the ballot box, nobody will get elected on the basis of surveys.”
What are super seats?
Functional constituencies consist of professional or special interest groups. Thirty of the 70 seats in the legislative council are elected by Hong Kong’s 28 functional constituencies, with another five “super seats” from the District Council (Second) functional constituency. Hongkongers who do not hold a vote with a professional or special interest group are eligible for a super seat vote.
The full candidates lists across districts and constituencies can be viewed here.
