2022 Hong Kong Election Committee (constituency) by-election

2022 Election Committee by-election

18 December 2022 (2022-12-18)
Registered	1,441
Turnout	90.70%
Candidate Chan Wing-kwong William Wong Adrian Ho Party DAB Nonpartisan NPP Alliance Pro-Beijing Pro-Beijing Pro-Beijing Electoral vote 1,028 983 833 Percentage 78.65% 75.21% 63.73%   Candidate Shang Hailong Gary Wong Lee Kwong-yu Party Nonpartisan Nonpartisan FTU Alliance Pro-Beijing Pro-Beijing Pro-Beijing Electoral vote 812 791 781 Percentage 62.13% 60.52% 59.76%
Members before election Horace Cheung (DAB) Alice Mak (FTU) Dong Sun (Non.) Nelson Lam (Non.) Elected Members Chan Wing-kwong (DAB) Adrian Ho (NPP) Shang Hailong (Non.) William Wong (Non.)

A by-election was held for the Election Committee constituency in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong on 18 December 2022 after resignation of four Legislative Councillors appointed to the new government led by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.

Background

The four incumbents, Alice Mak,[1] Horace Cheung,[2] Nelson Lam,[3] and Dong Sun[4] resigned on 19 June 2022 after they were appointed as principal officials of the new government led by John Lee.[5][6]

All four members were elected to the constituency of Election Committee, consisted of around 1,500 members, who were the eligible voters of this by-election. Adopting the 'block vote' voting system, each Election Committee member must elect exactly four candidates, or the ballot paper is regarded as invalid.[7]

Candidates and campaign

During the nomination period from 1 to 14 November 2022,[8] six nominations were received.[9] Despite urge from Tik Chi-yuen, the sole non-establishment member in the Legislative Council,[10] none of the pro-democracy camp or non-establishment camp joined the election as the Election Committee was heavily pro-Beijing.[11]

The six candidates, according to respective candidate number, are –[12]

1. William Wong Kam-fai, Associate Dean (External Affairs) of the Faculty of Engineering of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, CPPCC member;[13]
2. Chan Wing-kwong (DAB), President of Hong Kong Registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner Association;
3. Adrian Pedro Ho King-hong (NPP), founder of pro-Beijing Facebook group Save HK,[14] nephew of former Macau leader Edmund Ho;
4. Gary Wong Chi-him, former member of Path of Democracy, defeated in 2016 and 2021 elections;[15]
5. Shang Hailong, General Manager of SenseTime Hong Kong;[16]
6. Lee Kwong-yu (FTU), Director-General of I.T. People Association of Hong Kong.

Three candidates, Shang, William Wong, and Lee, had experience in technology industry,[17] which media said is in line with the government's priority in technology and innovation.[18]

Both Shang and Wong was alleged to have failed to submit signed consent forms from the supporter mentioned in election advertisements within the legal timeframe,[14] therefore suspected of breaking election regulations.[19] Shang admitted the late submission, while Wong repeatedly denied to comment on the possible penalties.[14]

With a limited electorate base, candidates were said to have done little to engage the public during campaigning.[20]

Result

The result was announced an hour after the conclusion of voting. Chan Wing-kwong received the most votes,[7] succeeding party colleague Horace Cheung. Shang and William Wong were also elected as independents. Lee failed to hold the FTU seat left by Alice Mak, and was the second electoral defeat in four days after the NPC election,[21] which FTU expressed regret.[15] NPP gained one seat and remained the fourth-largest party in the Legislative Council.

Media reported the Chinese Government did not "bless" (or support in secret) any candidates in this election, and the defeat was the show of dismay by the business groups over FTU's staunch pro-labour stance.[22][23]

Result of the by-election is as follows:[12]

2022 Election Committee by-election

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	DAB	Chan Wing-kwong	1,028	78.65	N/A
	Nonpartisan	William Wong Kam-fai	983	75.21	N/A
	NPP	Adrian Pedro Ho King-hong	833	63.73	N/A
	Nonpartisan	Shang Hailong	812	62.13	N/A
	Nonpartisan	Gary Wong Chi-him	791	60.52	−6.80
	FTU	Lee Kwong-yu	781	59.76	N/A
Total valid votes			1,307
Rejected ballots			0
Turnout			1,307	90.70	−7.78
Registered electors			1,441
	DAB hold		Swing
	Nonpartisan hold		Swing
	NPP gain from FTU		Swing
	Nonpartisan hold		Swing

The elected members were sworn into office on 19 December.[15]

See also

• 2021 Hong Kong legislative election
• 2022 Hong Kong Chief Executive election
• List of Hong Kong by-elections

References

1. "Vacancy In Membership Of Legislative Council (G.N. 3085 of 2022)" (PDF). Hong Kong Government Gazette.
2. "Vacancy In Membership Of Legislative Council (G.N. 3086 of 2022)" (PDF). Hong Kong Government Gazette.
3. "Vacancy In Membership Of Legislative Council (G.N. 3087 of 2022)" (PDF). Hong Kong Government Gazette.
4. "Vacancy In Membership Of Legislative Council (G.N. 3088 of 2022)" (PDF). Hong Kong Government Gazette.
5. "Principal Officials of Sixth-term HKSAR Government appointed (with photos)". www.info.gov.hk. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
6. "LegCo President congratulates appointment of Principal Officials of sixth-term Government". www.info.gov.hk. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
7. "Chan Wing-kwong secured the most votes as four lawmakers under Election Committee constituency elected". The Standard. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
8. "Nominations for 2022 Legislative Council Election Committee constituency by-election to start on November 1". www.info.gov.hk. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
9. "Six validly nominated candidates for Legislative Council Election Committee constituency by-election". www.info.gov.hk. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
10. "新思維積極考慮參與立法會補選並呼籲非建制黨派合作". Now 新聞 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 4 December 2022.
11. "香港民主黨指未有計劃參與立法會補選 學者分析若建制狙擊或影響國際形象". 美國之音. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
12. "2022 Legislative Council Election Committee Constituency By-election – Election Result". www.elections.gov.hk. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
13. "Professor Wong Kam Fai". www.cintec.cuhk.edu.hk. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
14. Lee, Peter (19 December 2022). "Founder of Hong Kong top pro-Beijing Facebook group 'Save HK' among 4 elected to city's legislature". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
15. "2 tech experts, Chinese medicine practitioner, company head win Hong Kong by-election". South China Morning Post. 18 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
16. "Hailong Shang | HKSTP". www.hkstp.org. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
17. "【立法會補選】尚海龍、黃錦輝、李廣宇同具創科背景 漏報同意書有人感無奈". hk.sports.yahoo.com (in Chinese). Retrieved 20 December 2022.
18. "【立法會補選】選委會界別補選四議席 其中三名候選人有創科背景 | 無綫新聞TVB News". 無綫新聞 TVB News (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 20 December 2022.
19. 鄭寶生 (9 December 2022). "立法會補選︱兩人未及時完整上載支持同意書". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 20 December 2022.
20. "Tech or culture? Legco by-election candidates differ on Hong Kong's main focus". South China Morning Post. 17 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
21. "工聯會人代選舉受挫 回歸後首僅奪一席 被問接任常委否 馬逢國：如有需要不妨嘗試". Ming Pao (in Traditional Chinese). 16 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
22. 李, 先知. "聞風筆動：不獲「祝福」商界剔走 工聯會選舉兩連敗". Ming Pao (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 20 December 2022.
23. 文維廣 (18 December 2022). "立法會補選．分析｜工聯會連續兩場選舉落敗 政界：商界不滿". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 20 December 2022.

External links

• Electoral Affairs Commission Official Website