Record low turnout in Hong Kong for 'patriots only' polls

A "patriots only" district election in Hong Kong on Dec 10 that barred opposition democrats from the ballot sheet amid a national security squeeze had a record low voter turnout of 27.5 per cent as many voters spurned what was seen as an undemocratic poll.

The sharp slide in turnout since the last such election in 2019 comes after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law that has been used to clamp down on dissent, and overhauled the electoral system to shut out democrats and other liberals.

"It can be seen that everyone has begun to feel that the election has no meaning," said Mr Lemon Wong, one of the few remaining democrats still involved in local politics. "Even pro-establishment supporters are asking themselves why they need to vote because it's all the same." The previous lowest turnout was 35.8 per cent in 1999. Four years ago, at the last such election during Hong Kong's mass pro-democracy protests, a record 71 per cent turnout brought about a landslide victory for the democratic camp in a fiercely contested vote.