Hong Kong votes in legislative election after deadly fire

Hong Kong's Legislative Election A Test of Public Sentiment After the Deadly Fire

Hong Kong was preparing for its second legislative election since a massive reform in 2021 when a deadly fire struck only two weeks before, leaving at least 159 people dead. The tragedy raised questions about government accountability and could impact turnout in Sunday's poll.

Mounting public anger over the fire highlighted the importance of the vote, which saw the elimination of the pro-democracy opposition in the Chinese territory through the 2021 system overhaul. Analysts believed that a fall in voter turnout could show that even some government supporters were staying away from the polls.

As such, John Lee, the city leader, urged citizens to vote, saying it would send a signal on promoting reforms. He also proposed supporting the victims, most of whom have been left without a home by the fire.

However, campaigning was suspended following the fire, and there was subdued activity in the final days out of respect for those affected. Government efforts to boost turnout had been in full swing before the blaze, but authorities arrested people who allegedly posted content that incited others not to vote or cast invalid votes.

In a last-minute push, officials held candidate forums, extended voting hours, and added polling stations, as well as offering subsidies to older people and centers for people with disabilities to help their clients vote. Still, the question remained whether these measures would be enough to overcome the public's disappointment in government response to the fire and ensure a high turnout on election day.

The new electoral system required candidates to be patriots loyal to Beijing and had reduced Hong Kong's electorate from 4.1 million people to just over two million. Many had turned away from politics following the massive anti-government protests of 2019, further dampening interest in voting.

However, John Burns, an honorary professor of politics and public administration at the University of Hong Kong, suggested that a decline in turnout would show even some government supporters were staying away. Lee criticized attempts to distort these changes, saying it was normal for personnel to change during an election.

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