The Electoral Affairs Commission for the Chief Executive Election has finalised the basic design of ballot papers to be used in the poll for the members of the Chief Executive Election Committee.

The Commission’s President, Ms Song Man Lei, told reporters today, after meeting representatives of the Government Printing Bureau, that the design and layout of ballot papers for the 2019 process would remain mostly the same as the design and layout of those used in the poll to select the Chief Executive Election Committee for the 2014 Chief Executive Election.

Nonetheless, the actual paper used would be of a different type from that employed in 2014, and the Commission would strengthen measures to prevent counterfeiting and thus optimise the security of the ballot process.

The Commission expected that optimisation of ballot paper and electronic counting of votes would ensure a smooth process regarding the polling for the Chief Executive Election Committee.

The date for the Chief Executive Election Committee polling – which will choose most of the Committee’s members – has been set for 16 June. The 400-member Chief Executive Election Committee will subsequently elect a new Chief Executive.

During today’s meeting, the Commission also discussed issues including a request that candidates for the Chief Executive Election Committee should provide contact information, i.e., either a telephone number, an email address, or a mailing address.

Once the Election Committee had been formed, following the June selection poll, the contact information of the successful candidates for the Committee would be helpful for anyone wishing to be a candidate for the actual Chief Executive Election. They would be able to use it to campaign for the necessary nominations from Committee members. Provision of such contact information to would-be candidates for the actual Chief Executive Election, would have to be made in writing to the Commission.

Ms Song stressed the Commission paid great attention to protecting personal data. The Commission would seek to strike a balance between fulfilling its obligations with regard to personal data protection and allowing people to campaign for nominations.

Today’s meeting of the Electoral Affairs Commission for the Chief Executive Election also discussed diversifying the communication and promotional channels used to explain the 2019 Chief Executive Election processes.