Hong Kong Regulations

ELECTORAL PROCEDURE (VILLAGE REPRESENTATIVE ELECTION) REGULATION - SECT 58

Admission to counting station

(1) The Returning Officer may set apart an area within a counting  station as
a counting zone.

(2) Where a counting zone is set apart under subsection (1), the zone shall be
delineated and identified by such means as the Returning  Officer who sets
apart the zone considers appropriate.

(3) No person may enter or stay in a counting zone, except-

   (a)  a member of the Commission;

   (b)  the Director of Home Affairs;

   (c)  a Returning Officer;

   (d)  an Assistant Returning Officer;

   (e)  the Chief Electoral Officer;

   (f)  a counting officer;

   (g)  a candidate;

   (h)  an election agent;

   (i)  a counting agent;

   (j)  a public officer on duty at the counting station;

   (k)  a member of the Civil Aid Service on duty at the counting  station; or

   (l)  a person authorized under subsection (4).

(4) The Returning Officer or a member of the Commission may authorize any
person in writing to enter and stay in a counting zone in accordance with the
terms of the authorization.

(5) Any member of the public may observe the counting of the votes from an
area at a counting station set apart for that purpose by the Returning Officer
unless that Officer considers that the presence of such member of the public
may-

   (a)  cause disorder or disturbance in the counting station;

   (b)  disrupt the counting of the votes; or

   (c)  prejudice the secrecy of the individual votes.

(6) The Returning Officer shall ensure that the arrangements for the counting
of the votes in a counting zone of a counting station are such that the
candidates and their respective election agents or counting  agents are able
to observe how individual votes are counted.