Hong Kong holds Legislative Council election

Long queues formed outside multiple polling stations across Hong Kong before the polls opened at 7:30 a.m. local time, with staff and volunteers assisting voters at the entrances.

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee cast his ballot at around 8:30 a.m. at Raimondi College on Robinson Road. Speaking to the media, he urged residents to participate, noting that each vote represents support for reform and a shared effort to move forward together.

The new LegCo term will include 90 members, including 40 elected by the Election Committee, 30 elected by functional constituencies, and 20 elected by geographical constituencies through direct elections. A total of 161 candidates are contesting, with competition in every seat.

Outside a polling station in the Kowloon Central constituency, a woman was seen helping an elderly voter, while others posed with thank-you cards handed out by staff after casting their ballots.

Near the Election Committee Constituency polling station at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Wan Chai, voter Ms. Huang said she hoped the new Legislative Council term would bring a fresh atmosphere to Hong Kong.

Mr. Lau, a resident of Tai Po, where a deadly fire struck a residential complex last week, voted together with his wife as they had in previous elections.

"After the disaster struck, in addition to engaging in mutual assistance and support, we also came to a clearer realization that actively exercising the right to vote in the LegCo election is a crucial action for building a better Hong Kong, helping disaster-affected people rebuild their homes, and enabling them to return to normal life as soon as possible," Lau said.

According to the HKSAR government, voting concludes at 11:30 p.m., with over 600 polling stations open to serve approximately 4.13 million registered voters.

The eighth-term LegCo will begin its four-year term on January 1, 2026.