The Election Committee is the electoral college in Hong Kong that selects the Chief Executive (CE) and, since 2021, elects 40 of the 90 members of the Legislative Council. Established by Annex I of the Basic Law of Hong Kong which states that "the Chief Executive shall be elected by a broadly representative Election Committee in accordance with this Law and appointed by the Central People's Government (State Council)." It is formed and performs its selection function once every five years, even in the event of a CE not completing their term. The membership of the Election Committee was expanded to 1,500 under the massive overhaul of the electoral system in 2021. The Election Committee has been criticised for its "small-circle" electoral basis and its composition favouring pro-Beijing and business interests.
History
The Sino-British Joint Declaration of 1984 provides that the Chief Executive "shall be selected by elections or through consultations held locally and be appointed by the Central People's Government. The system of Election Committee established in the Basic Law to provide an indirect election for the Chief Executive by a 'broadly representative' Election Committee." Besides the first Chief Executive was elected by the 400-member Selection Committee, all Chief Executives since then have been elected by the Election Committee.
The New York Times wrote that sectors that were politically closer to Beijing, such as traditional Chinese medicine, were over-represented in proportion to their share of the population, when compared to sectors deemed hostile, such as social workers or lawyers.
Since the electors must serve for no more than five years, a new election must occur, and the Chief Executive resignation would cause an interesting matter of timing, as to whether the old or new college of electors would select the new Chief Executive.
From 1998 to 2012, the 800 members of the Election Committee comprised 664 nominated from the sectors of the economy, 40 from the religious organisations, and 96 ex officio members taken from the government. The number of members of the Election Committee increased from 800 to 1,200 after the breakthrough on the electoral reform in 2010 for the 2012 Chief Executive election. After a nine-hour debate on the consultation document, the resolution which increased the size of the Election Committee won endorsement at 2:20 p.m. on 24 June by the legislature 46 votes to 13. Ten pan-democrats, including eight Democratic Party legislators, supported the proposals.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Composition of the Election Committee
!style=width:8em |
!style=width:6em|1998
!style=width:6em|2000
!style=width:6em|2006
!style=width:6em|2011
!style=width:6em|2016
!style=width:6em|2021
|-
| <div style="text-align: left;">Ex Officio<br />members</div>
| colspan="3" |96<br />(12%)
| 96<br />(8%)
| 106<br />(8.83%)
| 377<br />(25.13%)
|-
| <div style="text-align: left;">Nominated<br />members</div>
| colspan="3" |40<br />(5%)
| colspan="2" |60<br />(5%)
| 156<br />(10.4%)
|-
| <div style="text-align: left;">Returned with<br />body votes</div>
| colspan="3" |360<br />(45%)
| colspan="2" |510<br />(42.5%)
| 674<br />(44.9%)
|-
| <div style="text-align: left;">Returned with<br />individual votes</div>
| colspan="3" |304<br />(38%)
|534<br />(44.5%)
|524<br />(43.7%)
|293<br />(19.53%)
|}
2021 reform
In March 2021 the National People's Congress of China passed a new law that would change the electoral system in Hong Kong. The size of the Election Committee will grow from 1,200 to 1,500 members. The new members of the Election Committee will include 'patriotic groups', members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Area Committees and District Fight Crime Committees. Those groups will make up 156 seats in the Election Committee and 27 seats will be given to Hongkongers based in mainland China. The 117 seats of the District Councils will be removed. The Election Committee will elect 40 member for the Legislative Council which will be the biggest share of the council and every candidate that would run for the council would need nominations from the five sub sectors in the Election Committee.
The key changes to the formation of the Election Committee are detailed in Annex I of the Basic Law, amended on 30 March 2021 by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress as follows:
- Reduction of the number of subsectors with individual votes and elimination of mixed individual and body voting; the Election Committee would be principally elected by body votes
- Half of seats (150 seats) in the Third Sector nominated by members of national professional organisations or filled by ex officio members
- Elimination of District Council subsectors; replaced by subsectors consisting of representatives of members of Area Committees, District Fight Crime Committees, and District Fire Safety Committees
- All HKSAR members of the National People's Congress and National Committee Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference serve as ex officio Election Committee members
- Introduction of subsectors consisting of grassroot organisations, associations of Chinese Fellow Townsmen, associations of Hong Kong residents in Mainland and Hong Kong members of relevant national organisations
- Creation of a convenor system for the Election Committee; an Election Committee member holding an office of state leadership is to serve as the Chief Convenor, who designated a number of convenors for each subsector
Composition
{| class="wikitable collapsible" align="center" style="margin:0 0 1em 1em; font-size: 90%" align="right"
|-
|+ The 1,500-member Election Committee elected in 2021
|-
! Sector
! Subsector
! Seats
! Registered<br />voters
|-
! colspan="2" |First Sector
!300
!1,646
|-
|I
| align="left" |Industrial (First)
|17
|35
|-
|I
| align="left" |Industrial (Second)
|17
|97
|-
|I
| align="left" |Textiles and Garment
|17
|57
|-
|I
| align="left" |Commercial (First)
|17
|22
|-
|I
| align="left" |Commercial (Second)
|17
|71
|-
|I
| align="left" |Commercial (Third)
|17
|93
|-
|I
| align="left" |Finance
|17
|55
|-
|I
| align="left" |Financial Services
|17
|195
|-
|I
| align="left" |Insurance
|17
|88
|-
|I
| align="left" |Real Estate and Construction
|17
|91
|-
|I
| align="left" |Transport
|17
|199
|-
|I
| align="left" |Import and Export
|17
|45
|-
|I
| align="left" |Tourism
|17
|131
|-
|I
| align="left" |Hotel
|16
|57
|-
|I
| align="left" |Catering
|16
|135
|-
|I
| align="left" |Wholesale and Retail
|17
|63
|-
|I
| align="left" |Employers' Federation of Hong Kong
|15
|18
|-
|I
| align="left" |Small and Medium Enterprises
|17
|194
|-
! colspan="2" |Second Sector
! 300
! 2,488
|-
| II
| align="left" |Technology and Innovation
| 30
| 54
|-
| II
| align="left" |Engineering
| 30
| 60
|-
| II
| align="left" |Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape
| 30
| 55
|-
| II
| align="left" |Accountancy
| 30
| 39
|-
| II
| align="left" |Legal
| 30
| 30
|-
| II
| align="left" |Education
| 30
| 1,750
|-
| II
| align="left" |Sports, Performing Arts, Culture and Publication
| 30
| 223
|-
| II
| align="left" |Medical and Health Services
| 30
| 82
|-
| II
| align="left" |Chinese Medicine
| 30
| 51
|-
| II
| align="left" |Social Welfare
| 30
| 144
|-
! colspan="2" |Third Sector
!300
!1,286
|-
|III
| align="left" |Agriculture and Fisheries
|60
|151
|-
|III
| align="left" |Labour
|60
|407
|-
|III
| align="left" |Grassroots associations
|60
|404
|-
|III
| align="left" |Associations of Chinese Fellow Townsmen
|60
|324
|-
|III
| align="left" |Religious
|60
|N/A
|-
! colspan="2" | Fourth Sector
!300
!2,100
|-
|IV
| align="left" |Members of the Legislative Council
|90
|N/A
|-
|IV
| align="left" |Heung Yee Kuk
|27
|160
|-
|IV
| align="left" |Representatives of Members of Area Committees,<br />District Fight Crime Committees,<br />and District Fire Safety Committees of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon
|76
|1,083
|-
|IV
| align="left" |Representatives of Members of Area Committees,<br />District Fight Crime Committees,<br />and District Fire Safety Committees of the New Territories
|80
|857
|-
|IV
| align="left" |Representatives of Associations of Hong Kong Residents in the Mainland
|27
|N/A
|-
! colspan="2" |Fifth Sector
!300
!451
|-
|V
| align="left" |HKSAR Deputies to the NPC and<br />HKSAR Members of the CPPCC National Committee
|190
|N/A
|-
|V
| align="left" |Representatives of Hong Kong Members of Relevant National Organisations
|110
|451
|}
The Election Committee has five sectors, each composed of a number of subsectors (with a total of 38 subsectors). Amongst the 38 subsectors, members of 35 subsectors are returned by elections. The Annex I of Basic Law states that the Election Committee shall be composed of 1,500 members from the five sectors:
- Industrial, commercial and financial sectors: 300 members
- The professions: 300 members
- Grassroots, labour, religious and other sectors: 300 members
- Members of the Legislative Council, representatives of district organisations and other organisations: 300 members
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region deputies to the National People's Congress, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and representatives of Hong Kong members of relevant national organisations: 300 members
First sector
The first sector composed of members from industrial, commercial and financial backgrounds. They are mostly elected by corporate votes and is the highest portion of uncontested subsectors. It includes the following subsectors:
Catering
The Catering Subsector is corresponding to the Catering functional constituency and contains both corporate and individual members who hold food licences and/or members of the Association such as the Association for the Hong Kong Catering Services Management, the Hong Kong Catering Industry Association and the Association of Restaurant Managers. Individual voters take the 94% of the electorate as the number of the individuals and corporates both registered as voters has grown significantly. The Catering Subsector had contested in 1998 and 2000 with the low turnout rate of 11% in both years.
Commercial (First)
The Commercial (First) Subsector has a corresponding functional constituency Commercial (First) and consists of corporate members of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce who are allowed to vote at general meetings. The corporate voters in the Subsector had dropped from in 1,293 in 1998 to 990 in 2006. The Subsector had contested in the 1998 and 2000 elections and the voter turnout rate were 45.34% and 30.91% respectively.
Commercial (Second)
The Commercial (Second) Subsector has a corresponding functional constituency Commercial (Second) and consists of individual and corporate members of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce who are allowed to vote at general meetings. The electorate remained unchanged from 1998 to 2009 and electorates are equally divided between corporates and individuals. The Commercial (Second) Subsector did not have a contested election in 1998 and 2000.
Employers' Federation of Hong Kong
The Employers' Federation of Hong Kong Subsector is one of the five subsectors without a corresponding functional constituency. It is composed of corporations including banking and financial services, hotel and catering, industrial and manufacturing, insurance, professional and business services, construction, shipping, trading, distribution, and transportation companies who are members of the Employers' Federation of Hong Kong and entitled to vote at general meetings. There were 112 bodies registered as electors in 2000. They had a contested election in 1998 and was uncontested in 2000.
Finance
The Finance Subsector is corresponding to the Finance functional constituency and consists of corporate bodies that are banks and deposit-taking companies. In 2006 there were 136 corporate bodies registered as electors. Finance Subsector had contested elections in the 1998, 2000 and the 2002 by-election. The voter turnout in the 1998 and 2000 elections were 81.56% and 70.29% respectively. In the 2002 by-election there were only two candidates running for one seat with 24.39% turnout rate.
Financial Services
The Financial Service Subsector has a corresponding Financial Services functional constituency. From 1998 to 2004 the Subsector included both individuals and corporations who are exchange participants of an exchange company or corporate members entitled to vote at the general meetings at the Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society. 116 individuals and bodies were the registered electorates before 2004 and beginning in 2006 the Subsector came to consist of Stock Exchange Hong Kong, Hong Kong Futures Exchange, and members of the Chinese Gold & Silver Exchange Society which are only corporate members. The Subsector has remained a highly contested subsector in the 1998, 2000 and 2006 elections with about 65% turnout rate.
Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association
The Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association subsector is another subsector of the five without an equivalent functional constituency. It consists of individuals and corporations who are members of the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association and allowed to vote at general meetings. The association was established in 1991 and its membership includes companies which are registered in Hong Kong, solely-funded or joint ventures with their original capital from Mainland China. The corporate voters continue to dominate with 220, 99.5% of the electorate in 1996 were corporations, 310, 97.1% in 2006. The Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association Subsector never had a contested election.
Hotel
The Hotel Subsector when taken together with the Tourism Subsector corresponds with the Tourism functional constituency. The Hotel Subsector is formed from corporations who are members of the Hong Kong Hotels Association or the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners eligible to vote at the general meetings. There were 81 registered bodies in 1998 and 95 in 2006. The Subsector had elections in 1998 and 2006 with high turnout of 85% and 81.05% respectively. The 1998 election was competitive with 18 candidates running for 11 seats, and 15 candidates running for 11 seats in 2006.
Import and Export
The Import and Export Subsector corresponds with the Import and Export functional constituency and currently consists of corporations and individuals who are members of the Hong Kong Chinese Importers' and Exporters' Association and companies which are licensed to import and export dutiable commodities, motor vehicles and chemicals. In 2006 there were 777 registered corporate electors and 615 individual electors. The Import and Export Subsector had only a contested election in 1998 with turnout rate of 34.55%.
Industrial (First)
The Industrial (First) Subsector corresponds to the Industrial (First) functional constituency. It is composed of both individual and corporate members of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries who are entitled to vote at general meetings. In 2004 and 2006 there were no individuals registered electors and there were 794 and 743 corporations registered respectively. The Subsector held elections in 1998 and 2000 and in the 2000 election there were 23 candidates running for 12 seats.
Industrial (Second)
The Industrial (Second) Subsector is corresponding to the Industrial (Second) functional constituency of the same corporate members of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong that are entitled to vote at general meetings. In 2006 there were 517 registered corporate electors. The Industrial (Second) Subsector never had a contested election.
Insurance
The Insurance Subsector corresponds with the Insurance functional constituency and contains companies who are authorised or deemed authorised insurers. The makeup of the Subsector's electorate has changed very little since 1998 as there were 192 registered companies and 140 registered in 2006. There were contested elections in 1998, 2000 and 2006 with turnout rates of 87.56%, 76.16% and 65.71%.
Real Estate and Construction
The Real Estate and Construction Subsector corresponds with the functional constituency Real Estate and Construction and consists of individual and corporate members of the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Construction Association, and the Hong Kong E&M Contractors' Association who are entitled to vote at general meetings. Large increase in the number and proportion of the individual electors was seen from 1998 when there were 62 individuals making up 15.8% of the electorate and 286 comprising 42.2% in 2000. The proportion remained consistent from 2000 to 2006 when there were 427 corporate electors and 292 individuals. The Real Estate and Construction Subsector held contested elections in 1998, 2000, and 2006 with turnout rates of around 65%.
Textiles and Garment
The Textiles and Garment Subsector has a corresponding functional constituency Textiles and Garment. Corporate members of associations such as the Textile Council of Hong Kong, Federation of Hong Kong Garment Manufacturers, the Hong Kong Chinese Textile Mills Associations, and the Hong Kong Institution of Textile and Apparel who are allowed to vote at general meetings are the electors of this Subsector. Individuals include registered textiles and clothing manufacturers, and registered textile traders. From 1998 and 2000 there was significant increase in registered corporations from 2,690 in 1998 to 4.623 in 2000 and have a large proportion of the electorate. In 2006 there were 3,690 registered corporation (97.6% of the electorate) and 89 registered individuals (2.4% of the electorate). The Subsector held contested elections in 1998, 2006 and the 2005 by-election.
Tourism
The Tourism Subsector corresponds to the Tourism functional constituency with the Hotel Subsector. It consists of the corporate members of the former Hong Kong Tourist Association, the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, and the Board of the Airline Representatives in Hong Kong who are entitled to vote at general meetings. In 2006 there were 887 corporations registered as electors. The Tourism Subsector had contested election in 1998, 2000 and 2006 with voter turnout rates of 63.86%, 50%, and 64.13%. In 2006 it had one of them most highly contested subsector elections with 29 candidates running for 12 seats.
Transport
The Transport Subsector corresponds to the Transport functional constituency and consists of bodies including the Airport Authority Hong Kong, Hong Kong Public & Maxicab Light Bus United Association, and MTR Corporation. In 2006 there were 179 registered corporate electors and the number remained little changed. The Transport Subsector held contested elections in 1998, 2000, and 2006.
Wholesale and Retail
The Wholesale and Retail Subsector is corresponding the Wholesale and Retail functional constituency and consists of both corporate and individual members of 84 different associations including the Chinese Merchants (H.K.) Association, Hong Kong Retail Management Association, and Chinese Medicine Merchants Association. The Wholesale and Retail had contested elections in 1998, 2000 and 2006 with relatively low turnout rates of 34.56%, 28.66%, and 32.26% respectively.
Second Sector
Accountancy
The Accountancy Subsector is corresponding to the Accountancy functional constituency and includes individuals who are certified public accountants. The number of registered individuals in 1998 was 9,897 and 20,765 in 2006. The Subsector has held contested elections in 1998, 2000, and 2006 as well as the 2005 by-election. It has been one of the most highly contested subsectors with an average of 2.04 candidates per seats and 12 candidates for 3 open seats in the 2005 by-election. The turnout rate remained low with an average of 20.03% for 1998, 2000, and 2006 elections and 12.14% in the 2005 by-election.
15 seats of the Accountancy sub-sector are nominated from among the Hong Kong Accounting Advisors appointed by the Ministry of Finance of the People's Republic of China.
Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape
The Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape Subsector, formerly called Architectural, Surveying and Planning, has a corresponding Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape functional constituency. It consists of individuals who are registered architects, landscape architects, surveyors, planners or individual members of the organisations such as the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors and the Hong Kong Institute of Planners entitled to vote a general meetings. Registered landscape architects were not included in the electorate until 2000. In 2006 there were 5,584 registered individuals. The Architectural, Surveying and Planning Subsector had contested elections in 1998, 2000, 2006, and the 2005 by-election. There were 28 and 40 candidates between 2000 and 2006 elections.
15 seats of the Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape sub-sector are ex officio seats filled by responsible persons of statutory bodies, advisory bodies and relevant association:
Fourth Sector
Legislative Council
The Legislative Council Subsector includes 90 members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (increased from 70 members after 2021) who are all ex officio members automatically become the member of the Subsector. No election is to be held in this Subsector.
Heung Yee Kuk
The Heung Yee Kuk Subsector corresponds to the Heung Yee Kuk functional constituency in which the chairman, Vice-Chairman of the Heung Yee Kuk (Rural Council) and ex officio Special and Co-opted Councillors of the full council are the electorate. In 2006 there were 147 individuals registered as electors. There were contested elections in 1998, 2000 and the 2002 by-election but these elections were not competitive with 22 candidates in 1998 and 23 in 2000 running for 21 seats. Due to the fact the electorate is small, the turnout rates have been relatively high with 83.81% in 1998 and 73.43% in 2000.
Area Committees, District Fight Crime Committees, and District Fire Safety Committees
The subsectors of Representatives of members of Area Committees, District Fight Crime Committees, and District Fire Safety Committees of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon and the New Territories were respectively established under the 2021 Hong Kong electoral changes, to be returned from:
- Members of Area Committees
- Members of District Fight Crime Committees
- Members of District Fire Safety Committees
Representatives of associations of Hong Kong residents in the Mainland
Under the 2021 Hong Kong electoral changes, the Representatives of associations of Hong Kong residents in the Mainland subsector was created with one member nominated by each of the prescribed associations:
- Mainland China (Shenzhen) Consultant Services, HKFTU
- Mainland China (Guangzhou) Consultant Services, HKFTU
- Mainland China (Dongguan) Consultant Services, HKFTU
- Mainland China (Zhongshan) Consultant Services, HKFTU
- Mainland China (Huizhou) Consultant Services, HKFTU
- Mainland China (Fuzhou, Xiamen) Consultant Services, HKFTU
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China - Tianjin
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China - Shanghai
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China - Zhejiang
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China - Guangdong
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China - Fujian
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China - Guangxi
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China - Sichuan
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China - Wuhan
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China - Liaoning
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce in China - Shandong
- Hong Kong Professionals (Beijing) Association
- Shanghai Hong Kong Association
- Guangzhou Tianhe Hong Kong and Macau Association
- Hong Kong Association of China Business
- Hong Kong Chamber of Commerce, Qianhai, Shenzhen
- Hong Kong and Macau Entrepreneurs Branch, Chongqing Overseas Association
- Fujian Federation of Overseas Chinese Entrepreneurs
- Hong Kong and Macao Youth Innovation and Entrepreneurship Federation in Zhongkai Huizhou
- The Hong Kong Fellowship in Huadu Guangzhou
- The Hong Kong Fellowship in Chancheng Foshan
Fifth Sector
National People's Congress
The National People's Congress Subsector does not correspond to any Legislative Council's functional constituency but includes the 36 Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China. The 36 members automatically become the ex officio member of the Election Committee and there is no election to be held.
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference does not have corresponding Legislative Council's functional constituency but it includes all Hong Kong members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference of the People's Republic of China. In 2006 there were 118 individuals in the electorate. This Subsector has never held a contested election.
An HKSAR deputy to the NPC or an HKSAR member of the CPPCC National Committee may choose to register as an Election Committee member in a subsector other than one in the Fifth Sector with which he or she has a substantial connection. In these cases, the number of ex officio members will be increased and the number of seats to be returned by the subsector by election will be reduced accordingly.
Representatives of Hong Kong members of relevant national organisations
The subsector was established under the 2021 Hong Kong electoral changes, to be returned from:
- HKSAR Delegates of the All-China Women's Association
- HKSAR Executive Members of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce
- HKSAR Committee Members of the All-China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese
- HKSAR Committee Members of the All-China Youth Federation
- HKSAR Directors of the China Overseas Friendship Association
Former Subsectors
Provisional District Boards for the Districts in the Regional Council Area
The Provisional District Boards for the Districts in the Regional Council Area Subsector was created in 1998 and replaced by the New Territories District Council Subsector in 2000. It held a contested election in 1998 with 23 candidates running for 21 seats. The voter turnout rate was 68.75%.
Provisional District Boards for the Districts in the Urban Council Area
The Provisional District Boards for the Districts in the Urban Council Area Subsector existed between 1998 and 2000 and was replaced by the Hong Kong and Kowloon District Council Subsector. It held a contested election in 1998 with 37 candidates running for 21 seats. The voter turnout rate was 79.48%.
Hong Kong and Kowloon District Councils
The Hong Kong and Kowloon District Councils Subsector was first introduced in 2000 after the Provisional District Council Subsector was abolished. This Subsector when combined with the New Territories District Councils Subsector corresponds to the District Council (First) functional constituency. It includes the members of the District Councils in Hong Kong and Kowloon. In 2006 there were 221 registered individual electors. This Subsector has become increasingly competitive with 25 candidates in 2000 to 33 candidates in 2006 running for 21 seats.
New Territories District Councils
The New Territories District Councils Subsector was first introduced in 2000, replacing the Provisional District Council Subsector. Together with the Hong Kong and Kowloon District Councils Subsector it corresponds to the District Council (First) functional constituency. It has 230 registered electors in 2006 who are the members of the District Councils in New Territories. In the 2000 elections there were 23 candidates and 40 in 2006.
Process
Choosing the Members of the Election Committee
Each of the 28 functional constituencies receives a set number of electoral votes allocated to them. The block vote is applied to choose the members, as was common in the United States before the modern practice of voting only for a set slate or ticket of electors was established. By-election will be held to update the membership of the Election Committee if there are vacancies in the Election Committee.
- 1998 Election Committee Subsector Elections
- 2000 Election Committee Subsector Elections
- 2002 Election Committee Subsector By-elections
- 2005 Election Committee Subsector By-elections
- 2006 Election Committee Subsector Elections
- 2011 Election Committee Subsector Elections
- 2016 Election Committee Subsector Elections
- 2021 Election Committee Subsector Elections
The Candidate Eligibility Review Committee of the HKSAR shall be responsible for reviewing and confirming the eligibility of candidates for Election Committee members and for the office of Chief Executive. The Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR shall, on the basis of the review by the department for safeguarding national security of the Police Force of the HKSAR, make findings as to whether a candidate for Election Committee member or for the office of Chief Executive meets the legal requirements and conditions of upholding the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China and swearing allegiance to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, and issue an opinion to the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee of the HKSAR in respect of a candidate who fails to meet such legal requirements and conditions.
No legal proceedings may be instituted in respect of a decision made by the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee of the HKSAR on the eligibility of a candidate for Election Committee member or for the office of Chief Executive pursuant to the opinion of the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR.
Choosing the Chief Executive
Each candidate must be validly and legally nominated in order to participate in the election. One of the requirements for eligibility is the nomination of at least 150 members of the Election Committee. Since each elector can only nominate one candidate, 1,051 signatures will guarantee an election unopposed. The college of electors casts the official ballots for the office, with an absolute majority of the votes required to be elected. If no candidate receives an absolute majority (601 votes as it currently stands) a runoff is held on a later date. It is rather unclear what would happen in the case of a tie, since the constitution does not state any tie-breaker formats.
Inauguration Day is set at Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day, 1 July, with the elections being held on a date determined by the sitting Chief Executive any time in the six months prior to this date.
Each of the 1,200 members must have publicly declared their preferred choice within the two-week nomination period. According to Ohmynews, "Its very design causes the discourse of democracy to get bandied about as though it were a legitimate feature of the process. Thus, in 2005 the media reported on an 'election campaign' when only 800 individuals are allowed to vote, or refers to Tsang, Beijing's choice, as a 'candidate' when the possibility of his failing is a non-starter. The euphemism, 'small-circle election' is also repeatedly employed to refer to what in reality is a thoroughly undemocratic process."
The 2007 election was the first competitive Chief Executive election featuring two candidates from different political camp as the pan-democracy camp were able to field their candidate to challenge the Beijing-favoured candidate for the first time. It has been said that the competitive nature of this election, with debates held between the candidates, changed Hong Kong's political culture.
- 2002 Hong Kong Chief Executive election
- 2005 Hong Kong Chief Executive election
- 2007 Hong Kong Chief Executive election
- 2012 Hong Kong Chief Executive election
- 2017 Hong Kong Chief Executive election
- 2022 Hong Kong Chief Executive election
Choosing the Members of the Legislative Council
The Election Committee elected Legislative Council members during 1998 to 2004, which was abolished afterwards until 2021.
As a result of amendments passed in March 2021 for the December 2021 Legislative Council elections, the Election Committee will elect 40 of the 90 members of the Legislative Council. Candidates for members of the Legislative Council returned by the Election Committee shall be nominated by at least 10 but no more than 20 members of the Election Committee, with at least 2 but no more than 4 members from each sector. Any eligible voter in an election of the Legislative Council may be nominated as a candidate. Each Election Committee member may nominate one candidate only.
The Election Committee shall elect members of the Legislative Council from the list of nominations by secret ballot. A ballot paper is valid only if the number of candidates voted for is equal to the number of members of the Legislative Council to be returned. The 40 candidates who obtain the highest numbers of votes shall be elected.
Criticisms
The composition of the Election Committee was criticised for favouring the business interest as the election of the majority of its members was by corporate electors, which effectively incorporating the interests of the business sector. The business sector controls at least a quarter of the seats in the Election Committee as the nature of the composition in the first sector. Additionally, many non-business subsectors are also occupied by businessmen by occupation, for example the sport and culture subsectors and the Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress. It was also mocked as "small-circle election" as it had a narrow electorate basis which facilitates the business elites to secure their seats on the committee through personal networks and the support of the Liaison Office.
See also
- List of members of the Election Committee of Hong Kong, 2017–21
- 2010 Hong Kong electoral reform
- 2014–15 Hong Kong electoral reform
- 2021 Hong Kong electoral reform
- Corporatism
Notes
References
External links
- Site for the 2002 Chief Executive election, where Tung Chee-Hwa was elected unopposed
- Dedicated Site of the HKSAR government for the Election Committee
- Results of the 2011 Election Committee Subsector Elections