Hong Kong Regulations

ELECTORAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION (ELECTORAL PROCEDURE) (DISTRICT COUNCILS) REGULATION - SECT 47

Who may enter or be present at a polling station

(Past version on 21/07/2003).
(Past version on 01/08/1999).

(1) Except where it is provided otherwise in this Regulation, a person must
not enter a polling station other than to vote.

(2) Subject to subsections (4) and (5), in order to ensure that polling takes
place smoothly and efficiently, the Presiding Officer may-

   (a)  regulate the number of electors, candidates, election agents and
        polling agents to be admitted to the polling station at any one time;
        or

   (b)  exclude any person from the polling station.

(3) Without limiting subsection (2), the Presiding Officer may exclude from
the polling station any person who is present in contravention of this
section.

(4) The Presiding Officer may not exclude from the polling station-

   (a)  a polling officer;

   (b)  the Returning Officer or Assistant Returning Officers for the
        constituency or constituencies for which the polling station is used;

   (c)  members of the Commission;

   (d)  the Chief Electoral Officer;

   (e)  police officers and members of the Civil Aid Service on duty at the
        polling station; (L.N. 125 of 2003)

   (f)  public officers authorized in writing by the Chief Electoral Officer;
        (L.N. 125 of 2003)

   (g)  persons authorized in writing by a member of the Commission; (L.N. 125
        of 2003; L.N. 79 of 2007)

   (h)  a person authorized in writing by the Returning Officer to act as a
        liaison officer; or (L.N. 125 of 2003; L.N. 79 of 2007)

   (i)  public officers on duty at the polling station. (L.N. 79 of 2007)

(5) A person authorized by the Commission to be present in a polling station
may be present in accordance with the terms of the authorization.

(6) Subject to subsections (7), (8), (9), (10), (11) and (12), on behalf of
each candidate, one polling agent of that candidate may be present in the
polling station at any one time.

(7) If a candidate is present in the polling station, the election  agent or
polling agent of that candidate may not be present in that polling station at
the same time.

(8) If the election agent of a candidate is present in the polling  station, a
polling agent of that candidate may not be present in that polling station at
the same time.

(9) A candidate, an election agent or polling agent may be present in the
polling station subject to the availability of seats in the area designated to
accommodate them.

(10) A person referred to in subsection (9) who wishes to be admitted to the
polling station must, on arriving at the polling station, report in person to
the Presiding Officer and produce his or her identity  card and a declaration
of secrecy completed on the specified form by him or her.

(11) If the area referred to in subsection (9) is occupied to its full seating
capacity, the Presiding Officer may refuse entry to the polling station to any
person referred to in that subsection. That Officer may make arrangements for
admitting them to the polling station later.

(12) Only an election agent or polling agent regarding whom notice of
appointment has been given under this Regulation may be present at a
polling station on behalf of a candidate.

(13) If a person who is accompanied by a child arrives at a polling  station
for the purpose of voting, the Presiding Officer may permit the child to enter
the polling station if that Officer considers that-

   (a)  the child should not be left unattended while the person is in the
        polling station; and

   (b)  the child will not disturb or cause inconvenience to any person in the
        polling station. (L.N. 79 of 2007)

(14) The Presiding Officer must not exercise the powers conferred on that
Officer under this section so as to prevent a person from voting at the
polling station allocated to that person.