First Results Announced In Legco By-elections

The first results have been released in the controversial Legislative Council by-elections, which was sparked by the oath-taking saga.

In New Territories East, Gary Fan of the Neo Democrats beat his nearest rival, Bill Tang of the Federation of Trade Unions by more than 3,000 votes. In the functional constituency, pro-government candidate Tony Tse beat the independent democrat Paul Zimmerman.

In the other constituencies, with 90 percent of the votes counted, the DAB's Vincent Cheng was leading in Kowloon West, edging out pro-democracy candidate Edward Yiu. For Hong Kong Island Democrat Au Nok-hin was leading Judy Chan from the New People's Party.

The by-elections are for seats left vacant by four of six pro-democracy legislators disqualified for failing to take their oaths of office correctly, following the September 2016 election.

The final turnout rates were 43 percent in Hong Kong Island; 44 percent in Kowloon West; and 42 percent in New Territories East. In the Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape functional constituency, turnout was 70 percent.

In the 2016 elections, the final turnout in Hong Kong Island was 60 percent, Kowloon West 58 percent, New Territories East 60 percent. The overall turnout in all geographical constituencies was 58 percent. In the Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape functional constituency, turnout was 79 percent.

The three geographical constituencies - Hong Kong Island, New Territories East and Kowloon West - were won in 2016 by Nathan Law of Demosisto, and Sixtus Baggio Leung and Yau Wai-ching of Youngspiration. The Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape functional constituency was won by Edward Yiu.

They were stripped of the seats, along with two other pro-democracy legislators elect Lau Siu-lai and the League of Social Democrats' Leung Kwok-hung, after the government of then Chief Executive CY Leung launched legal proceedings over the manner in which they took their oaths. This ultimately led to a ruling by the National People's Congress Standing Committee that said they had to be taken in a sincere and solemn manner.

Lau Siu-lai and Leung Kwok-hung are still appealing.

In a move that has attracted international criticism, the government has also prevented three people from standing for making pro-independence remarks or supporting self-determination, seen by Beijing as a euphemism for independence. They are Agnes Chow of Demosisto, James Chan and Ventus Lau.