Hong Kong Election Sees Modest Turnout Amid Political Transformation

Nearly a third of Hong Kong’s registered voters participated in Sunday’s legislative election, slightly surpassing the turnout of the previous poll but falling well short of pre-2021 levels when the city’s democracy movement was still active.

The final turnout reached 31.9%, just edging past the 30.2% recorded in 2021 when the revamped electoral system was first implemented. Before Beijing’s electoral overhaul, which effectively eliminated the pro-democracy opposition, voter participation regularly exceeded 50%.

The modest improvement in turnout helps the government avoid embarrassment but hardly represents a ringing endorsement of the new “patriots-only” electoral system that has fundamentally transformed Hong Kong’s political landscape.

“I’m performing my civic duty as a citizen to vote… but I’m not too certain which candidate is hardworking and which is not,” said retiree Kwan Lam outside a polling station. “I chose the one who cares for the elderly.”

The election took place under a cloud of public grief and anger following a devastating fire at Wang Fuk Court residential complex last month that killed at least 159 people. The tragedy, Hong Kong’s deadliest blaze in decades, raised serious questions about government oversight and suspected bid-rigging in building maintenance projects.

Election campaigning was suspended immediately after the fire and remained subdued in the final days out of respect for the victims. Some candidates incorporated pledges to combat bid-rigging into their platforms in response to public concerns.

“The fire played a role because it exposed various governance problems that no resident could be happy about,” said John Burns, an honorary professor of politics and public administration at the University of Hong Kong.

Prior to the tragedy, authorities had launched an aggressive campaign to boost voter turnout, seen as a referendum on the new electoral system. The government hung promotional banners throughout the city, added polling stations, extended voting hours, organized candidate forums, and offered subsidies to elderly and disability centers to help residents vote.

In a more controversial move, authorities arrested individuals accused of posting content encouraging others not to vote or to cast invalid ballots.

The current electoral system, implemented in 2021 following Beijing’s crackdown on dissent after the 2019 pro-democracy protests, represents a dramatic shift from Hong Kong’s previous political landscape. Only 20 of the legislature’s 90 seats are now directly elected by the public, down from 35 in the previously 70-member body. Another 40 seats are chosen by a largely pro-Beijing election committee, while the remaining 30 represent various professional sectors dominated by establishment interests.

All candidates must now pass through a vetting process that ensures they are “patriots” loyal to Beijing, effectively barring pro-democracy candidates from running.

“The election shows that the city remains polarized with pro-establishment and opposition camps,” Burns noted. “The turnout rate shows that about 60% of voters who traditionally supported the pro-democracy camp did not turn out.”

Ho-fung Hung, professor of political economy at Johns Hopkins University, pointed out that despite the government’s extensive mobilization efforts, voter participation was far lower than in 2016. The actual number of people voting has also declined due to a shrinking electorate in recent years, as many Hong Kongers have emigrated amid the political changes.

In an unusual move before the election, China’s national security office in Hong Kong summoned representatives from several foreign news organizations, including The Associated Press. Officials accused some foreign media of spreading false information about the government’s disaster relief efforts after the fire and attempting to interfere with the legislative elections.

“No media outlet may use ‘freedom of the press’ as a pretext to interfere in China’s internal affairs or Hong Kong affairs,” the office said in a statement. Authorities have warned the general public against using the fire to undermine the government and have arrested at least one person on suspicion of inciting hatred against officials.

Following the election, Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee said in a statement that holding a smooth election during this difficult period “carries profound significance.” He expressed hope that the new lawmakers would work with the government to drive systemic reforms following the fire.

Beijing’s office on Hong Kong affairs celebrated the modest increase in turnout rate, saying it reflected Hong Kong society’s support for the electoral process—though experts note the figures tell a more complex story of continued political division in the former British colony.