🌊 New Election Committee, who dis?

What’s speak dating?

Sep 19, 2021

Good morning.

Today’s Paid Tide is going out to all our readers so our free readers can get a taste of what’s going on behind the smoke and mirrors that is Premium HT.

For your beginning of the week weekend update today we have:

A whole new election committee 👀
COVID updates
Diplomat circle updates (usually reserved for our paid subscribers only!)
Buildings for a carbon-free future

— Jasmine Lee

A whole new Election Committee

Hong Kong SAR Government News @newsgovhk

The whole objective of improving Hong Kong’s electoral system is to ensure “patriots administering Hong Kong”, Chief Executive #CarrieLam says

news.gov.hkPatriotism enshrined in voting systemThe whole objective of improving Hong Kong’s electoral system is to ensure “patriots administering Hong Kong”, Chief Executive Carrie Lam says.

Yesterday the government held the first election under the new political system (slogan: “Patriots rule Hong Kong”) where 4,800 voters decided on the members of the Election Committee.

The Election Committee contains 1,500 spots, and it’s the city’s “ruling class” who gets to vote on who will fill these seats. This is a huge contrast to 2016, where over 200,000 voters were allowed to take part in the same poll.

This year’s election turnout sits at about 90% (~4,350 people).

Other political updates:

The Confederation of Trade Unions, the largest opposition trade union in the city, has decided to disband (paywalled).
LegCo’s only not pro-establishment lawmaker will not be running in this year’s Legislative Council election.