Voters Will Have Free Choice On Polling Day: CE

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that the government will not regulate how people vote in future elections, and come polling day they can choose whichever candidate they like, or none at all.

As she met the press before this week's Executive Council meeting, Lam was asked about recent discussions on whether the casting of blank ballots could or should be outlawed as part of efforts to prevent elections from being "manipulated" by the public.

She appeared to dismiss the idea.

“Every voter, holding a ballot paper that they’ve been allocated, is free to choose how they want to display the paper. The SAR government will not regulate voters’ choices on the election day, no matter whether they are choosing a candidate, not choosing a candidate, or doing some kind of damage to the paper which makes it an invalid vote,” she said.

But the CE said it would be a different matter if people encourage others to act in a certain way when it comes to voting.

“The situation we’re talking about here is when some people organise, or intentionally incite voters to collectively to do certain acts. Then this may amount to acts that undermine or manipulate elections.”

She said the government is obliged to take measures after the National People's Congress Standing Committee amended annexes I and II of the Basic Law last month.

A bill on election law amendments is due to be tabled to Legco on Wednesday.