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MAKE THE LEGCO ELECTION A SUCCESS
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- Index :
Low Voter Registration
Voter Turnout Rate and Absentee Voting
Post-election Unity and Concrete Action Plans
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The Legislative Council election is finally
over. My first pleasant duty is to thank you most sincerely for turning
out in force on election day and electing me as your new LegCo representative.
Since it will take a while before LegCo moves into top gear, now is
the opportune time for us to reflect on the recent election. The important
issues to consider when evaluating our election results include low
voter registration, the respectable turnout by accountants at balloting
and the question of absentee voting. Equally important are the necessary
moves to effect post-election unity within the accountancy profession
and the steps to take in formulating concrete action plans for the
future. |
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Low Voter Registration
The number of registered voters in the Accountancy functional
constituency has leapfrogged from 1,588 to 2,276 then to 3,722 in
the three election years of 1988, 1991 and 1995. At first sight this
is undoubtedly impressive but on closer scrutiny, this impression
is apparently superficial. When we actually compare these figures
with the growth in our membership, there has been little more than
a virtual horizontal increase in the overall registration rate. You
might be rather disturbed to learn that our overall registration rate
was the lowest among all the existing twenty functional constituencies
at this year's LegCo elections.
The following chart proves the point. |
| Year |
Total Membership
(as at 1 June) |
Eligible Voters
(Official estimate) |
Registered Voters (%) |
Voter Turnout (%) |
| 1988 |
4,131 |
no record |
1,588 |
698(43.95%) |
| 1991 |
5,708 |
no record |
2,276 |
Uncontested |
| 1995 |
9,171 |
8730 |
3,722
(42.63%)# |
2,190
(58.84%)* |
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Voter Turnout Rate and Absentee
Voting
Needless to say, accountants are very responsible people.
Once we register as voters we do exercise our right and give our functional
constituency a respectable 58.84% turnout rate. Compared with only
698 accountants who voted at 1988, 2,190 of us did actually vote in
1995, which means that I now have an even stronger mandate as your
LegCo representative from the membership.
The turnout at the September 17 election could have been higher still
if some accountants had not been out of town on this day due to pressing
needs. Several of them in fact wrote to me suggesting that some method
of absentee voting be introduced to assist those who are temporarily
out of Hong Kong for good reasons. Prompted by these requests for
absentee voting system, I have written to the Boundary and Election
Commission with copy to the Constitutional Affairs Branch advancing
such a suggestion. The Commission also responded instantly with a
promise to examine the issue in connection with the next election.
I hope that with the assistance of the relevant authority and modern
technology we can find the most appropriate method to allow for absentee
voting in time to come. |
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Post-election Unity and Concrete Action
Plans
In well-developed democracies, political parties
find their candidates for the various constituencies through
a rigorous internal screening process and sometimes even
by internal elections. This is in order to fairly find
the most acceptable candidate to match the rival candidates.
This internal selection process could be as tough and
combative as the real election itself. But once the party
makes its choice, those within the party closes ranks
round the party nominee in order to meet external challenges
and rally round the party's political aims and objectives.
Is there any reason why we in the accountancy functional
constituency should not do the same? The election has
been fought. It is now over. The task before us is to
put the election behind us and look boldly to working
with the government and other elected LegCo representatives
in the future. What we need is to prepare a plan of action
that will best serve the accountancy profession as a whole.
In this regard, I have already started looking to my key
advisers with the view to prepare a concrete plan of action
to realise my election platform. I hope to be able to
report to you soon on progress and elicit your support.
It matters not who you supported in the recent LegCo election,
let us all now put our shoulders to the wheel. |
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