🌊 Turnout? Low. Results? In.

It’s the 2021 LegCo Election edition!

Good morning to the election results.

The LegCo election results have just started coming in, so High Tide is going to come out a bit later than usual today. Scroll down to find the results (so far).

I’ve decided to exclude events today because it’s already going to be very dense with the election coverage, but check out Friday’s Tide for stuff we recommend you do around town (paid Tide readers get 20% off to Vivek Mahbubani’s Comedy Show!).

Readers with paid subscriptions also get extended coverage of yesterday’s election, including a detailed timeline of voter turnout and a look at whether or not free city-wide transport helped encourage folks to show up at the polls.

Remember, it’s not too late to gift a subscription to someone who would love High Tide too (and you’ll get a free year of Tide)!

— Jasmine “you can still read my free book” Lee

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Today On Tide

1. LegCo Election | A third of registered voters turn out to vote in this election’s ‘lowest turnout yet’.

2. COVID-19 | More imported cases in Hong Kong

3. Extended: LegCo Election | Did free public transit keep voters away from polls? Also, a detailed timeline of voter turnout.

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Lowest LegCo election turnout in history

Before I get into the nitty-gritty results, here is a basic refresher on the 2021 LegCo election for those who need it:

• This is the first “all patriots” LegCo election that follows the massive amendments made by Beijing to Hong Kong’s electoral system.

• 153 candidates running for 90 seats in the Legislative Council (seats from 20 geographical constituencies, 30 functional constituencies, 40 Election Committee constituency)

• 600+ polling stations have been set up around the city, at Penny Bay quarantine facility, and three border crossing points reserved for HK residents living in the mainland

• Chief Executive Carrie Lam has said there was no target set for voter turnout but urged people to go vote

Hong Kong Free Press HKFP @hkfp

Sec. for Constitutional Affairs Erick Tsang & election chief Justice Barnabas Fung opened the first ballot box containing votes for the elite Election Committee constituency in the Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre at around 11 p.m. on Sunday. Photo: Kyle Lam/HKFP.

Turnout and takeaways:

• Polling station opening times were originally scheduled for 8:30 AM to 10:30 PM, but several stations extended their opening hours to make up for delays.

• 1,309,601 people cast their votes, making up 29.28% of voters who registered for the election.

• The government has published charts displaying the election turnout.

• Former chief executive Tung Chee-hwa did not cast his vote, apparently, he’s “resting at home” and was not able to make an appearance at the polls.

Thank you Hong Kong Free Press for making this graphic from reo.gov.hk!

CE Carrie Lam thanked those who came out to vote:

"I sincerely thank more than 1.3 million voters who have cast their votes today. Their votes are not only for choosing their own Legco members, they are also a show of support for the improved electoral system and their aspirations for effective enhancement of the governance efficiency of the HKSAR as well as the resulting economic development and livelihood improvements.”

— Chief Executive Carrie Lam

The Results (aka what you came for)

Results are still rolling in, but here’s what has come out so far:

• Election Committee: It’s a long list, which you can read here, but Allan Zeman didn’t make the cut.

• New Territories North: Zhang Xinyu, Lau Kwok Fan

• Kowloon Central: Lee Wai King Starry, Yang Wing Kit

• Kowloon West: Leung Man Kwong, Cheng Wing Shun Vincent

• New Territories South West: Chan Han Pan, Chan Wing Yan

• New Territories North West: Chow Ho Ding Holden, Tien Michael Puk Sun

• New Territories South East: Li Sai Wing, Lam So Wai

• Hong Kong Island West: Ip Lau Suk Yee Regina, Chan Hok Fung

• Hong Kong Island East: Leung Hei Edward, Ng Chau Pei

• New Territories North East: Lee Tsz King Dominic, Chan Hak Kan

For more on the ‘free transport sabotaged turnout’ theory, see our extended election coverage with a paid subscription to High Tide.

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COVID-19

Hong Kong SAR Government News @newsgovhk

The Centre for Health Protection says it is investigating eight additional imported #COVID19 cases involving five men and three women, seven of whom arrived in Hong Kong from high-risk places

news.gov.hkHK reports 8 imported virus casesThe Centre for Health Protection says it is investigating eight additional imported COVID-19 cases involving five men and three women, seven of whom arrived in Hong Kong from high-risk places.

New cases: 8 (imported, 7 of which are from high-risk countries)

The government gazetted compulsory testing for anyone who was present at 13 specified premises (see Annex 1).

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Commuting to anywhere but the polls

Here’s your extended election coverage!