Late Surge Prompts Organisers To Extend Strike Poll

The organisers of a poll on whether to call for a general strike in Hong Kong said on Saturday that they extended the time for polling by an hour till 9pm after a surge in people turning up late in the evening.

The so-called referendum is being organised by 30 trade unions and a students’ group to consider what actions to take to protest against a new security law that Beijing is planning to impose on the city.

The polling had been sluggish in the early part of the day with the organisers saying 1,100 physical ballots from students had been cast, and 2,000 from union members by 2:30pm.

By 6pm, a student organiser, Issac Cheng, posted a social media message that said 4,811 students had voted – 2,581 of them turned up at polling booths that were set up across the city and another 2,608 voted online.

At the main polling centre in Tsz Wan Shan, dozens of people were seen lining up after nightfall. 

The "referendum" organisers had said they would stage a strike and class boycott if more than 60,000 members vote and over 60 percent back their plan.

The vote results are to be announced by 11pm.