The MTR Corporation (MTRC) has said its trains will start running earlier on December 7, the day of Hong Kong’s “patriots only” legislative elections, to “encourage and support” voting.
“The MTR Corporation is actively cooperating with the Government’s election arrangements, encouraging and supporting members of the public to vote,” MTRC CEO Jacob Kam said in his column in Sing Tao newspaper on Tuesday.
“In response to the extended voting hours, the MTR will operate its first train earlier on election day to facilitate polling station staff in making early preparations,” he wrote, without giving more details.
Most of the MTR trains begin service around 6am every morning, with some variations between stations and lines.
The announcement comes after the Electoral Affairs Commission (EAC) said on Friday that voting hours would be extended, from 8.30am-10.30pm to 7.30am-11.30pm, in a bid to boost turnout.
In addition, there will be 10 designated polling stations for civil servants who have to work on December 7, as well as seven stations near major hospitals.
‘Our duty’
“Considering that some colleagues will be on duty on election day, additional staff will be deployed that day to facilitate flexible arrangements and make voting more convenient for colleagues,” Kam said.
The rail operator displays election reminders at entry and exit gates, as well as in-station advertising light boxes, and it encourages its employees to vote through the company’s internal platforms and posters displayed in offices, he wrote.
“Voting is not only our right as electors but also our duty. This is a precious opportunity for us to elect capable individuals to build Hong Kong together,” he said.
A total of 161 candidates are vying for 90 seats in the second “all patriots” Legislative Council (LegCo), with only 20 lawmakers to be elected directly by around 4.14 million registered voters in their respective geographical constituencies.
The government is pushing a city-wide campaign to promote voting following record-low turnouts in the LegCo elections in 2021 and the District Council elections in 2023, in the wake of Beijing’s electoral overhaul.
Last week, the government announced it would offer a HK$20,000 subsidy to each district centre to assist elderly voters and those with disabilities in casting their ballots, as well as staging a free election-themed concert on the eve of polling day.
Major charity groups have offered employees a half-day off so they can vote, while business chambers have urged employers to provide similar arrangements.
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.
