Hong Kong’s first ‘patriots-only’ district council poll reflects political tale of two cities, as some eagerly rush to vote and others shy away

Hong Kong's first 'patriots-only' district council election took place on Sunday, and it was a tale of two cities. On one hand, there were enthusiastic voters who took to social media to share their voting experience. On the other hand, a larger group of people showed indifference towards the election, avoiding the over 600 polling stations scattered across the city. These stations remained quiet throughout the 15-hour voting period.

Among the eager voters was a Taikoo Shing resident named Yeung. She returned to her local polling station for the first time in four years and was taken aback by the lack of crowds. She had expected more people to turn up due to the increased publicity surrounding the election. She also anticipated a queue, as was the case in previous elections. The last municipal-level poll in 2019, held amidst anti-government protests, saw an unprecedented turnout of 71. 2%. This resulted in a landslide victory for the opposition, who took control of 17 out of the city's 18 district councils.

Following the 2019 election, authorities sought to 'depoliticise' the municipal bodies. They revamped the system earlier this year to align with Beijing's 'patriots-only' policy. This policy stipulates that only those who are loyal to the government can hold positions in the district councils. In 2019, Yeung's middle-class neighbourhood of Taikoo Shing saw a long line of voters at her local polling station, a converted post office. This led authorities to introduce special waiting arrangements for pregnant and elderly voters ahead of the 2021 Legislative Council poll.