Hong Kong Regulations

ELECTORAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION (ELECTORAL PROCEDURE) (DISTRICT COUNCILS) REGULATION - SECT 31

Chief Electoral Officer to designate polling stations, counting stations, small polling stations, main counting stations and dominant counting stations

(Past version on 01/08/1999).

Chief Electoral Officer to designate polling stations, counting stations,
small polling stations, main counting stations and dominant counting stations
(L.N. 191 of 2003)

(1) The Chief Electoral Officer must designate, by notice published in the
Gazette, one or more places for-

   (a)  conducting a poll in respect of an election; and

   (b)  counting of the votes.

(1A) The Chief Electoral Officer may designate under subsection (1) the same
place as a polling station and a counting station. (L.N. 125 of 2003)

(1B) If in relation to a constituency, 2 or more counting stations, which are
also polling stations, have been designated, the Chief Electoral Officer must
designate the polling station at which the largest number of electors are to
vote as the dominant counting station for that constituency. (L.N. 125 of
2003)

(1C) The Chief Electoral Officer must designate each polling  station (other
than a special polling station) at which less than 200 electors are to vote as
a small polling station. (L.N. 125 of 2003 and L.N. 191 of 2003)

(1D) If in relation to a constituency, 2 or more polling stations have been
designated and at least one of them is a small polling station or a
special polling station, the Chief Electoral Officer must designate a
polling station as a main counting station for the purpose of counting the
votes of the small polling station or special polling station. (L.N. 125 of
2003 and L.N. 191 of 2003)

(1E) The Chief Electoral Officer may designate a polling station as a
main counting station in respect of the small polling station only if the
aggregate of the electors to vote at the polling station to be so designated
and the electors to vote at the small polling station is not less than 200.
(L.N. 125 of 2003 and L.N. 191 of 2003)

(2) The Chief Electoral Officer may designate under subsection (1)-

   (a)  premises occupied by a Government department for official
purposes ("Government building");

   (b)  a structure, place or premises hired under subsection (3) or which is
        to be so hired;

   (c)  any school in respect of which a grant is made out of the general
        revenue;

   (d)  a building occupied by an organization, association or body in respect
        of which a grant is made out of the general revenue; or

   (e)  any other structure, premises, whether permanent or temporary, mobile
        or otherwise, or place, which the Chief Electoral Officer considers
        suitable for a purpose specified in subsection (1).

(3) The Chief Electoral Officer may hire any structure, place or premises or a
part of a structure, place or premises to designate as a polling station or a
counting station.

(4) The Chief Electoral Officer may designate a place described in subsection
(2) in addition to or in substitution of a place designated under this section
as a polling station or a counting station. The Chief Electoral Officer must
publish notice of such designation. The notice may be published in a manner
that Officer thinks fit.

(5) The Chief Electoral Officer must ensure that there are sufficient
polling stations and counting stations to enable polling and
counting of the votes to take place smoothly and efficiently.

(6) The Chief Electoral Officer must make available, at that Officer's office,
for public inspection, a list of the polling stations, counting stations,
small polling stations, main counting stations and dominant counting stations.
(L.N. 125 of 2003 and L.N. 191 of 2003)

(7) The Chief Electoral Officer must, in the case of a polling  station or a
counting station which is not a Government building-

   (a)  make good any damage caused; and

   (b)  defray any expenses incurred by any person having control over the
        structure, place or premises, due to their having been used as a
        polling station or a counting station.

(8) The Chief Electoral Officer may take such steps as that Officer considers
appropriate, including taking out insurance, to insure against any risk of
loss or damage that may arise due to or in connection with the use of any
structure, place or premises as a polling station or a counting  station.

(9) (Repealed L.N. 125 of 2003)