Govt Eyes Broader Reform For HK Voters On Mainland

Sources have told RTHK that the government is looking at amending the laws to set up polling stations on the mainland and is considering which cities would be suitable for the arrangement.

The government is understood to be more inclined towards big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, where more Hong Kong people live, but it hasn't considered whether voters would vote electronically or by mail.

The Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, is expected to announce the plans during the Policy Address.

The information follows earlier reports that the government is mulling plans to let Hong Kong residents living in the Greater Bay Area vote in the next Legco polls.

While pro-establishment political parties have backed the idea, the pro-democracy camp have slammed it as a blatant attempt to rig the elections.

Sources told RTHK that if people were allowed to vote on the mainland, the SAR's Beijing office, its Economic and Trade Offices in Guangdong, Shanghai, Chengdu and Wuhan, may function as polling stations.

In 2012 and 2016, the government amended election laws in May and June.

The sources say the government would have to finish amending the relevant laws as soon as possible if it were to allow voters to vote on the mainland for next year's Legco elections.