Hong Kong Regulations

ELECTORAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION (ELECTORAL PROCEDURE) (DISTRICT COUNCILS) REGULATION - SECT 63

Steps to be taken at the close of the poll: a polling station which is not a small polling station or a special polling station

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

Steps to be taken at the close of the poll: a polling station which is not a
small polling station or a special polling station (L.N. 191 of 2003)

(1) As soon as practicable after the close of the poll at a polling  station
(other than a small polling station or a special polling station) which is
also designated as a counting station, the Presiding Officer must display a
notice in a prominent place outside the polling station stating that the poll
has been closed and that it will be opened when it is ready for use for the
counting of votes. (L.N. 125 of 2003 and L.N. 191 of 2003)

(1A) A candidate, and an election agent, a counting agent and a polling agent
of such candidate may stay in a polling station referred to in subsection (1)
while it is closed for the preparation for the counting of votes. (L.N. 125 of
2003; L.N. 79 of 2007)

(2) After complying with subsection (1), the Presiding Officer must, in the
presence of the persons, if any, who are present within the polling station,
take the following steps-

   (a)  place the ballot box or boxes where that Officer and other persons who
        are present within the polling station can see them;

   (b)  cover each ballot box with a device provided for that purpose so that
        a ballot paper or any other material cannot be introduced into or
        withdrawn from the ballot box after it is covered;

   (c)  use a padlock to keep the device secured in position;

   (d)  seal each ballot box; and

   (e)  make up into separate sealed packets-

        (i)    ballot papers which have not been issued;

        (ii)   the unused ballot papers;

        (iii)  the spoilt ballot papers; and

        (iv)   the marked copies of the final register. (L.N. 125 of 2003)

(2A) The Presiding Officer must, after complying with subsection

(2), keep the sealed ballot box or boxes under that Officer's control until
the counting of votes begins. (L.N. 125 of 2003)

(3) At a polling station used for polling for more than one constituency, the
Presiding Officer must make separate sealed packets for each constituency.

(4) For the avoidance of doubt it is stated that the ballot papers in a sealed
packet prepared under this section are not to be counted for the purpose of
counting of the votes. Accordingly, references to ballot  papers in relation
to the counting of the votes are to be construed as not including those
ballot papers.