Hong Kong Regulations

ELECTORAL AFFAIRS COMMISSION (ELECTORAL PROCEDURE) (DISTRICT COUNCILS) REGULATION - SECT 68

Who may be present at the counting of votes

(Past version on 01/08/1999).

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (5), only the Returning Officer, Assistant
Returning Officers, Presiding Officer, Deputy Presiding Officer and Assistant
Presiding Officers and the following persons may be present at the
counting of the votes- (L.N. 125 of 2003)

   (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;

   (h)  public officers authorized in writing by the Chief Electoral Officer;
        or

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

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

(3) The Presiding Officer is 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 Presiding Officer and produce his or her identity card and a declaration
of secrecy completed on the specified form by him or her.

(5) The Presiding Officer may, if that Officer considers it appropriate and
practicable to do so without prejudicing the secrecy of the individual votes
and considers that it will not cause disorder or disturbance in the
counting station, 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. (L.N.
125 of 2003)