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Starting from June, rounds of demonstrations were attended by record breaking of hundreds of thousands to nearly two millions people forced the government to eventually suspend the bill, followed by Lam's announcement of the withdrawal in September. The pro-Beijing parties who were among the strongest advocates of the bill worried their support of the controversial bill as well as the abrupt U-turn would cost them votes in the upcoming District Council elections and [[2020 Hong Kong legislative election|next year's Legislative Council election]], repeating their devastating defeat in the [[2003 Hong Kong local elections|2003 District Council elections]] following the highly controversial [[National Security (Legislative Provisions) Bill 2003|national security legislation]].<ref>{{cite news|title=
Starting from June, rounds of demonstrations were attended by record breaking of hundreds of thousands to nearly two millions people forced the government to eventually suspend the bill, followed by Lam's announcement of the withdrawal in September. The pro-Beijing parties who were among the strongest advocates of the bill worried their support of the controversial bill as well as the abrupt U-turn would cost them votes in the upcoming District Council elections and [[2020 Hong Kong legislative election|next year's Legislative Council election]], repeating their devastating defeat in the [[2003 Hong Kong local elections|2003 District Council elections]] following the highly controversial [[National Security (Legislative Provisions) Bill 2003|national security legislation]].<ref>{{cite news|title=
Suspension of Hong Kong extradition bill is embarrassing to pro-establishment allies and could cost them at election time, camp insiders reveal|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3014674/suspension-hong-kong-extradition-bill-embarrassing-pro|date=16 June 2019|newspaper=South China Morning Post}}</ref> Media reported that the government was also looking into the possibility of cancelling polls in areas where serious protests are taking place.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hong Kong protests: plan mulled to partially cancel district council elections if polling stations targeted, as Joshua Wong announces candidacy|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3030783/hong-kong-protests-plan-mulled-partially-cancel-district|newspaper=South China Morning Post|date=28 September 2019}}</ref>
Suspension of Hong Kong extradition bill is embarrassing to pro-establishment allies and could cost them at election time, camp insiders reveal|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3014674/suspension-hong-kong-extradition-bill-embarrassing-pro|date=16 June 2019|newspaper=South China Morning Post}}</ref> Media reported that the government was also looking into the possibility of cancelling polls in areas where serious protests are taking place.<ref>{{cite news|title=Hong Kong protests: plan mulled to partially cancel district council elections if polling stations targeted, as Joshua Wong announces candidacy|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3030783/hong-kong-protests-plan-mulled-partially-cancel-district|newspaper=South China Morning Post|date=28 September 2019}}</ref>

==Nominations and disqualifications==
A record number of 1,104 nomination forms were received by the Returning Officers in the two-week nomination period from 4 to 17 October.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201910/17/P2019101700897.htm|title=1104 nomination forms for District Council Ordinary Election received by deadline|date=17 October 2019|work=Hong Kong government}}</ref> At least four candidates, including [[Tommy Cheung Sau-yin]], Mo Kai-hong, Liu Qing of the [[Democratic Party (Hong Kong)|Democratic Party]] and Billy Chan Shiu-yeung of the Community Sha Tin, received letters from the Returning Officers to answer what the candidates meant by it when they posted "[[Liberate Hong Kong, the revolution of our times]]", a popular slogan in the anti-extradition protests on their social media accounts.<ref name="scmp1016"/> Two other hopefuls also received letters asking for their stance on [[Hong Kong independence]], including secretary-general of [[Demosisto]] [[Joshua Wong]] who planned to run for [[South Horizons West (constituency)|South Horizons West]] who was asked if he was running on behalf of his party Demosisto and if he supported the notion of "self-determination" for Hong Kong. [[Agnes Chow]], a member of Demosisto was earlier barred from running in the [[2018 Hong Kong by-election|March 2018 Legislative Council by-election]] on the grounds that Demosisto advocated "self-determination".<ref name="scmp1016"/> Henry Wong Pak-yu who aimed for a seat in [[Tin Heng (constituency)|Tin Heng]] was also questioned for his previous public pro-independence statement. Both Joshua and Henry denied they supported Hong Kong independence. Political scientist [[Ma Ngok]] warned that that any disqualification would only fuel the ongoing political crisis.<ref name="scmp1016">{{cite news|title=Aspiring election candidates insist their use of ‘Liberate Hong Kong; revolution of our times’ protest slogan does not mean they advocate independence|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3033100/aspiring-election-candidates-insist-their-use-liberate-hong|date=16 October 2019|newspaper=South China Morning Post}}</ref>


==Current standings of the District Councils==
==Current standings of the District Councils==

Revision as of 15:33, 17 October 2019

2019 Hong Kong local elections
← 2015 24 November 2019 2023 →
All Elected Constituencies
452 (of the 479) seats in all 18 Districts Councils
  Wu Chi-wai Ng Chau-pei
Leader Starry Lee Wu Chi-wai Ng Chau-pei
Party DAB Democratic FTU
Alliance Pro-Beijing Pro-democracy Pro-Beijing
Last election 119 seats, 21.39% 43 seats, 13.56% 27 seats, 6.11%
Current seats 116 (elected seats) 37 27
 
Leader Lo Wai-kwok Regina Ip Yam Kai-bong
and others
Party BPA NPP Neo Democrats
Alliance Pro-Beijing Pro-Beijing Pro-democracy
Last election 10 seats, 1.90% 26 seats, 5.24% 15 seats, 2.92%
Current seats 19 (elected seats) 13 13
 
Leader Sze Tak-loy Alvin Yeung Felix Chung
Party ADPL Civic Liberal
Alliance Pro-democracy Pro-democracy Pro-Beijing
Last election 18 seats, 3.82% 10 seats, 3.62% 9 seats, 1.74%
Current seats 12 12 8

The 2019 Hong Kong District Council elections are scheduled to be held on 24 November 2019 for the sixth District Councils of Hong Kong.[1] Elections are to be held to all 18 District Councils with returning 452 members from all directly elected constituencies, out of the total 479 seats.

Boundary changes

In July 2017, the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) proposed to increase 21 elected seats in 10 District Councils after a review on the number of elected seats for each District Council having regard to the population forecast:[1]

  1. 1 new seat for each Kowloon City, Yau Tsim Mong and Tsuen Wan District Councils;
  2. 2 new seats for each Sham Shui Po, Kwai Tsing, Tuen Mun and Sai Kung District Councils;
  3. 3 new seats for each Kwun Tong and Sha Tin District Councils; and
  4. 4 new seats for the Yuen Long District Council.[1]

According to the recommendations, the total number of elected seats for the 2019 elections will be increased by 21 from 431 to 452.

Gerrymandering concerns

Some pro-democracy District Councillors accused the EAC of gerrymandering in which the borders of their constituencies were altered "unreasonably" which might affect their odds should they seek another term. EAC chairman Barnabas Fung claimed that the proposal was purely the result of an objective calculation. "Factors with political implications would definitely not be taken into consideration," Fung said.[2]

Background

Project Storm

In April 2017, Occupy Central co-founder Benny Tai proposed the "Project Storm" to win the majority of the District Council seats for the pro-democrats in the coming election. He stated that by winning a majority of the some 400 District Council seats, pro-democrats could gain an additional 117 seats of the District Council subsectors on the 1,200-member Election Committee which elects the Chief Executive. Tai believed that by making it harder for Beijing to manipulate in the Chief Executive election, it would compel Beijing to restart the stalled political reform after its restrictive proposal was voted down in 2015.[3]

Anti-extradition bill protests

Main articles: 2019 Hong Kong extradition bill and 2019 Hong Kong protests

In mid 2019, the Carrie Lam administration pushed forward the Fugitive Offenders and Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2019 to establish a mechanism for transfers of fugitives not only for Taiwan, Mainland China and Macau, which are not covered in the existing laws for a homicide case in Taiwan.[4] The proposed bill raised grave concerns from various sectors of the society including lawyers, journalists, businesses, as well as foreign governments, fearing the heightened risk that Hong Kong citizens and foreign nationals passing through the city, without the safeguards of the local courts, could be sent for trial to Mainland China, where courts are under Chinese political control.[5]

Starting from June, rounds of demonstrations were attended by record breaking of hundreds of thousands to nearly two millions people forced the government to eventually suspend the bill, followed by Lam's announcement of the withdrawal in September. The pro-Beijing parties who were among the strongest advocates of the bill worried their support of the controversial bill as well as the abrupt U-turn would cost them votes in the upcoming District Council elections and next year's Legislative Council election, repeating their devastating defeat in the 2003 District Council elections following the highly controversial national security legislation.[6] Media reported that the government was also looking into the possibility of cancelling polls in areas where serious protests are taking place.[7]

Nominations and disqualifications

A record number of 1,104 nomination forms were received by the Returning Officers in the two-week nomination period from 4 to 17 October.[8] At least four candidates, including Tommy Cheung Sau-yin, Mo Kai-hong, Liu Qing of the Democratic Party and Billy Chan Shiu-yeung of the Community Sha Tin, received letters from the Returning Officers to answer what the candidates meant by it when they posted "Liberate Hong Kong, the revolution of our times", a popular slogan in the anti-extradition protests on their social media accounts.[9] Two other hopefuls also received letters asking for their stance on Hong Kong independence, including secretary-general of Demosisto Joshua Wong who planned to run for South Horizons West who was asked if he was running on behalf of his party Demosisto and if he supported the notion of "self-determination" for Hong Kong. Agnes Chow, a member of Demosisto was earlier barred from running in the March 2018 Legislative Council by-election on the grounds that Demosisto advocated "self-determination".[9] Henry Wong Pak-yu who aimed for a seat in Tin Heng was also questioned for his previous public pro-independence statement. Both Joshua and Henry denied they supported Hong Kong independence. Political scientist Ma Ngok warned that that any disqualification would only fuel the ongoing political crisis.[9]

Current standings of the District Councils

By political camp

Council Current
control 		Largest
party
Central & Western Pro-Beijing Tied
Wan Chai Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Eastern Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Southern Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #5FB04A;" data-sort-value="DPHK" |

Democratic
Yau Tsim Mong Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Sham Shui Po NOC

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #faf400;" data-sort-value="HKADPL" |

ADPL
Kowloon City Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Wong Tai Sin Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Kwun Tong Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Tsuen Wan Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Tuen Mun Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Yuen Long Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
North Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Tai Po Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Sai Kung Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Sha Tin Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1C8BCD;" data-sort-value="New People's Party–Civil Force" |

NPP/CF
Kwai Tsing Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB
Islands Pro-Beijing

style="width: 2px; color:inherit; background-color: #1861AC;" data-sort-value="DABHK" |

DAB

By political party

As of 2 January 2020:

Council/
Party 		CW WC E S YTM SSP KC WTS KT TW TM YL N TP SK ST KWT I TOTAL
Democratic 7 4 7 4 2 10 6 9 3 7 7 5 6 12 1 90
Civic 5 1 1 4 2 4 3 7 3 2 32
ND 2 3 4 9 1 19
ADPL 11 3 5 19
CST 8 8
TCHD 1 2 4 7
Labour 2 1 2 1 1 7
CGPLTKO 6 6
CM 5 5
CA 4 1 5
TMCN 4 4
NWSC 1 3 4
TSWC 4 4
TPDA 3 3
VSA 2 1 3
Civ Passion 1 1 2
DA 2 2
DTW 2 2
TKOP 2 2
LSD 1 1 2
SKC 2 2
TKOS 2 2
PP 1 1
EHK 1 1
TYP 1 1
LMCG 1 1
CSWWF 1 1
CKWEF 1 1
TWCN 1 1
KEC 1 1
SK 1 1
CAP 1 1
TSWLPU 1 1
Ind & others 5 8 19 7 7 4 4 13 13 3 6 13 7 7 3 16 8 4 147
Pro-democrats 14 9 32 15 17 22 15 25 28 16 28 33 15 19 26 40 27 7 388
DAB 1 1 2 4 6 1 1 1 3 1 21
FTU 1 1 1 1 1 5
Liberal 1 1 1 1 1 5
BPA 3 1 1 5
FPHE 2 1 3
Roundtable 1 1 2
Ind & others 3 1 2 2 3 2 12 5 2 5 1 10 48
Pro-Beijing 1 4 3 2 3 2 10 0 12 4 4 12 7 2 5 2 5 11 89
Others 1 1 2
Vacant
Councillors 15 13 35 17 20 25 25 25 40 21 32 45 22 21 31 42 32 18 479

List of target seats

DAB targets Votes required Swing required Democratic targets Votes required Swing required
1 Chi Choi (Democratic) 5 0.06% Wah Fu South (Ind) 3 0.05%
2 Hing Fong (Democratic) 72 0.89% Wah Kwai (DAB) 47 0.43%
3 Tsui Wan (Ind) 57 1.28% Shek Yam (DAB) 54 0.47%
4 Shun Tin (Democratic) 100 1.36% Centre Street (Ind) 33 0.50%
5 Kam To (Ind) 137 1.87% Ting On (Ind) 62 0.73%
6 Tsuen Wan Centre (Democratic) 161 2.04% Belcher (Ind) 69 0.73%
NPP targets Votes required Swing required ADPL targets Votes required Swing required
1 Tai Koo Shing East (Ind) 87 0.83% Ma Tau Wai (DAB) 45 0.42%
2 Kornhill (Civic) 92 0.92% Lai Kok (DAB/FTU) 99 0.96%
FTU targets Votes required Swing required Civic targets Votes required Swing required
1 Ma Hang Chung (Democratic) 45 0.66% Tung Chung North (NPP) 32 0.82%
Pro-Beijing independent targets Votes required Swing required
1 Sai Kung North (BPA) 20 0.49%
2 Whampoa West (Ind) 39 0.47%
3 Mid Levels East (Democratic) 55 0.92%

References

  1. ^ a b c "Review of the Number of Elected Seats for the Sixth-Term District Councils" (PDF). Legislative Council of Hong Kong.
  2. ^ "Election chiefs bring in 21 new Hong Kong district council seats, sparking gerrymandering concerns". South China Morning Post. 21 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Hong Kong Occupy co-founder Benny Tai unveils 'Project Storm' to win more district council seats for pan-democrats". South China Morning Post. 30 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Fears over Hong Kong-China extradition plans". BBC. 8 April 2019.
  5. ^ "Is HK tilting from a semi-democracy to a semi-dictatorship?". Ejinsight. 23 May 2019.
  6. ^ "Suspension of Hong Kong extradition bill is embarrassing to pro-establishment allies and could cost them at election time, camp insiders reveal". South China Morning Post. 16 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Hong Kong protests: plan mulled to partially cancel district council elections if polling stations targeted, as Joshua Wong announces candidacy". South China Morning Post. 28 September 2019.
  8. ^ "1104 nomination forms for District Council Ordinary Election received by deadline". Hong Kong government. 17 October 2019.
  9. ^ a b c "Aspiring election candidates insist their use of 'Liberate Hong Kong; revolution of our times' protest slogan does not mean they advocate independence". South China Morning Post. 16 October 2019.

External links

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