Nominations open for powerful Election Committee that selects Hong Kong leader and lawmakers

Nominations have opened for the powerful electoral body that chooses both Hong Kong’s top leader and almost half of the territory’s lawmakers.

The nomination period for 982 seats on the 1,500-member Election Committee opened on Wednesday and will run until October 20.

If the number of approved nominees exceeds 982, a poll will be held on November 22, according to the government’s Electoral Affairs Commission.

The elected members will join hundreds of other appointed and ex officio members to make up the body. The body consists of five sectors, under which there are a total of 40 subsectors.

One sector is for industrial, commerce and finance representatives. The sectors for lawmakers, representatives of district organisations, and those with ties to Beijing bodies – including deputies to the National People’s Congress and members of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference – command 40 per cent of seats.

The Election Committee is responsible for electing the chief executive, who must then be confirmed by the Central government, and 40 of the total 90 seats on the Legislative Council. The committee is also responsible for nominating candidates for the chief executive and LegCo members.

Its term, lasting five years, will begin on February 1 next year and end on January 31, 2032.

See also: Explainer: Hong Kong’s Election Committee determines who leads the city – what is it and how does it work?

Candidates must be registered geographical constituency electors aged 18 or above who are registered voters for their relevant subsector, or have a substantial connection to that subsector.

The Election Committee Constituency was abolished in 2004 and replaced with directly elected Geographical Constituency seats, before being reintroduced in the 2021 electoral overhaul.

In March 2021, Beijing passed legislation to ensure “patriots” govern Hong Kong. The move reduced democratic representation in the legislature, tightened control of elections and introduced a pro-Beijing vetting panel to select candidates. Authorities say the overhaul ensures the city’s stability and prosperity. But the changes also prompted international condemnation, as much of the traditional opposition remains behind bars, in self-exile or has quit politics.

Election Committee nomination forms can be downloaded from the Registration and Electoral Office website or collected from District Offices, Offices of the Registration and Electoral Office, and the Office of the Returning Officers.

Earlier this year, authorities said the total cost of the election will be around HK$260 million. The sum includes HK$135 million in staff costs, HK$9 million in publicity, and HK$116 million in other expenses such as venue bookings, printing, transportation, and postage.

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Ryan Ho Kilpatrick is an award-winning journalist from Hong Kong. He was previously Managing Editor of the China Media Project and has reported from Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan for a variety of local and international media outlets, including The Washington Post, TIME, TaiwanPlus, The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, and many more. He holds a BA in Modern China Studies and a Master of Journalism degree from the University of Hong Kong.