Hong Kong Regulations

ELECTORAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION (ELECTORAL PROCEDURE) (LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL) REGULATION - SECT 68

Who may be present at the counting of the votes

Caution: This is a past version. See the current version here.

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (5), only the Returning Officer and the
following persons may be present at the counting of the votes-

   (a)  counting officers;

   (b)  candidates;

   (c)  election agents and counting agents;

   (d)  members of the Commission;

   (e)  the Chief Electoral Officer;

   (f)  police officers on duty at the counting station;

   (g)  members of the Civil Aid Service on duty at the counting  station; or

   (h)  persons authorized in writing by a member of the Commission.

(2) No other person may be present except with the permission of the
Chief Returning Officer or the Returning Officer.

(3) The Chief Returning Officer and the Returning Officer are to ensure that
the arrangements for the counting of the votes are such that the candidates
and their respective election agents or counting agents are able to observe
how individual votes are counted.

(4) Only an election agent or counting agent regarding whom notice of
appointment has been given under this Regulation may be present during the
counting of the votes at the counting zone or zones. On arriving at the
counting station, an election agent or counting agent must report in person to
the Returning Officer and produce his or her identity document and a
declaration of secrecy completed on the specified form by him or her.

(5) The Chief Returning Officer may, if that Officer considers it appropriate
and practicable without disrupting the count and prejudicing the secrecy of
the individual votes, permit members of the public to observe the
counting of the votes from an area at the counting station set apart for that
purpose by that Officer. The area is to be at such a distance from the place
where the votes are being counted as that Officer considers appropriate.