Rural Representative Election - 2023 Rural Ordinary Election

Election Brief

Polling Arrangement

	Polling Day	Polling Time
	Polling Day	Ordinary Polling Station；and DPS situated in Mei Tin Community Hall	Dedicated Polling Station(s) (DPS) situated in a penal institution
Village Representative Election	8 January 2023	12:00-19:00	13:00-16:00
Kaifong Representative Election	15 January 2023	08:30-21:30	13:00-16:00

Voting System
The voting system adopted for the Rural Representative (RR) election, depending on the number of RR(s) to be returned, is the simple majority or relative majority system, commonly known as the “first past the post" voting system.

Nomination Period
Nomination period: 4 November 2022 to 17 November 2022
Submission Time : from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday to Friday; from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, except general holidays
Please click here to download the nomination forms. Forms can also be obtained free of charge at the following offices:

Home Affairs Department (30/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong)
Home Affairs Enquiry Centres of New Territories District Offices

Eligibility Requirements for Nomination

Eligibility Requirements for Nomination in Indigenous Inhabitant Representative Election (IIR)	Eligibility Requirements for Nomination in Resident Representative Election (ReR)	Eligibility Requirements for Nomination in Kaifong Representative Election (KFR)
A person will only be eligible to be nominated as a candidate in the Indigenous Inhabitant Representative Election, the Resident Representative Election or the Kaifong Representative Election if he/she meets the following requirements (a person is only allowed to stand as a candidate in one Rural Area*):
an indigenous inhabitant of the Indigenous / Composite Indigenous Village; elector for the Indigenous or Composite Indigenous Village; aged 21 or above; a Hong Kong permanent resident ; ordinarily resides in Hong Kong; nominated by at least five registered electors from that Village; not be disqualified from voting at the election by virtue of section 14 of the Rural Representative Election Ordinance (Cap. 576); and not be disqualified from being nominated as a candidate at the election, or from being elected as an IIR for the Indigenous or Composite Indigenous Village by virtue of section 23 of the Rural Representative Election Ordinance (Cap. 576) or any other law.	elector for the Existing Village; aged 21 or above; a Hong Kong permanent resident; a resident of the Village for the 6 years immediately preceding the nomination; nominated by at least five registered electors from that Existing Village; not be disqualified from voting at the election by virtue of section 14 of the Rural Representative Election Ordinance (Cap. 576); and not be disqualified from being nominated as a candidate at the election, or from being elected as a ReR for the Existing Village by virtue of section 23 of the Rural Representative Election Ordinance (Cap. 576) or any other law.	elector for the Market Town; aged 21 or above; a Hong Kong permanent resident; a resident of the Market Town for the 6 years immediately preceding the nomination; nominated by at least five registered electors from that Market Town; not be disqualified from voting at the election by virtue of section 14 of the Rural Representative Election Ordinance ; and not be disqualified from being nominated as a candidate at the election, or from being elected as a KFR for the Market Town by virtue of section 23 of the Rural Representative Election Ordinance (Cap. 576) or any other law.

*Rural Area means an Existing Village, an Indigenous Village, a Composite Indigenous Village or a Market Town

Who Can Vote

Only the registered individual and corporate electors whose names have been included in the 2022 Final Register of Electors are eligible to cast their votes in the election, and the relevant registers will be published on 20 October 2022.
If a registered elector for Existing Village / Market Town no longer resides in the Village/Market Town for which he/she is registered, or his/her residential address in the Village/Market Town is no longer his/her sole or main home, he/she is no longer eligible to remain registered as an elector. Even though his/her name is still on the Final Register (“FR”), the person will commit an offence if he/she votes at the election.

Contact Methods
Contact Methods of Returning Officer(s) and Assistant Returning Officer(s) of Different Districts

Introduction on voting procedures
Village Representative Election
Kaifong Representative Election

Document(s) Required for Collecting Ballot Paper(s)
Indigenous Inhabitant Representative Election
Resident Representative Election
Kaifong Representative Election

Samples of Ballot Papers

	Indigenous Inhabitant Representative Election	Resident Representative Election	Kaifong Representative Election
Samples of Clearly Valid and Invalid Ballot Papers	(PDF Form)	(PDF Form)	(PDF Form)
Samples of Questionable Ballot Papers	(PDF Form)	(PDF Form)	(PDF Form)

Samples of ballot papers are in PDF format. Please download the Acrobat Reader to view them.

Points to Note in Marking Ballot Paper
Village Representative Election
Kaifong Representative Election

Anti-epidemic measures in response to COVID-19 in polling stations and counting stations
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, in consultation with the Food and Health Bureau and the Centre for Health Protection, the HAD will adopt the following measures in the polling stations and counting stations:

Polling Stations

All polling staff are required to wear surgical masks and have their body temperature checked. They also have to wear face shields if they are not being protected by transparent protective screens which will be erected on the ballot paper issuing desks, PRO desk, etc.
All persons (including electors, candidates/authorized representatives (ARs)) entering the polling stations are required to wear their own masks properly, have their body temperature checked and rub their hands by using hand sanitizers placed at the entrance and exit of the polling stations.
Electronic thermometers are set up at all polling stations to check the body temperature of electors, candidates and ARs upon their arrival at polling stations.
Polling staff with fever or respiratory symptoms, or sudden loss of taste/smell will not be allowed to discharge electoral duties while candidates/ARs will not be allowed to enter the polling stations but the candidates can authorize another representative to observe the poll.
Electors with fever or respiratory symptoms or sudden loss of taste/smell will be assigned to vote at the designated compartments at the polling stations.
Handheld placards and signage reminding electors to keep social distance will be displayed at the polling stations.

Counting Stations(including Ballot Paper Sorting Stations)

All staff of the counting stations (including Ballot Paper Sorting Station) are required to wear surgical masks and gloves. Transparent protective screens will also be erected on the Registration and Enquiry counters of the Counting Station.
Counting staff with fever or respiratory symptoms, or sudden loss of taste/smell will not be allowed to discharge counting duties.
Electronic thermometers are set up at each counting station (including Ballot Paper Sorting Station) to check the body temperature of electors, candidates/ARs to screen out persons with fever. Any person with fever or respiratory symptoms, or sudden loss of taste/smell will not be allowed to enter the counting stations. If candidates/ARs have fever or respiratory symptoms, or sudden loss of taste/smell, the candidates can authorize another representative to observe the count.
Hand sanitizers will be provided inside the counting stations (including Ballot Paper Sorting Station).
The HAD will arrange to use diluted bleach to disinfect the non-metallic surface furniture in the Counting Station before the opening of the Station (such as counting desks, reception counters, chairs, etc.).

Ordinary Elections and By-elections

Election Brief