In the political systems of Hong Kong, a functional constituency is a professional or special interest group involved in the electoral process. Eligible voters in a functional constituency may include natural persons as well as other designated legal entities such as organisations and corporations.
Elections in Hong Kong take place when certain political offices in the government need to be filled. Hong Kong has a multi-party system, with numerous parties in the Legislative Council. The Chief Executive of Hong Kong is nonpartisan but has to work with several parties to form a coalition government.
The Civic Party (CP) was a pro-democracy liberal political party in Hong Kong.
The Reform Club of Hong Kong was one of the oldest political organisations in Hong Kong, existing from 1949 until the mid-1990s. Established by expatriates who were concerned about the Young Plan proposed by Governor Mark Aitchison Young in 1949, the Reform Club was the first semi-political party to contest in the Urban Council elections, with its longtime chairman Brook Bernacchi serving on the Council for about forty years.
The Hong Kong Civic Association is one of the longest-existing political organisations in Hong Kong. Established in 1954 by a group of teachers, professionals and businessmen, the Civic Association was one of the two semi-political parties to participate in the Urban Council elections since the 1950s, alongside Reform Club of Hong Kong. They were the only two organisations closest to the opposition parties dominated in the post-war colonial period before the expansion of the franchise in the 1980s.
Hilton Cheong-Leen, CBE, JP was a Hong Kong politician and businessman. He is the longest uninterrupted serving elected officeholder in Hong Kong history as an elected member of the Urban Council of Hong Kong for 34 years from 1957 to 1991. He was also the first Chinese chairman of the council from 1981 to 1986. He had been a long-time chairman of the Hong Kong Civic Association, one of the two quasi-opposition political groups in the post-war Urban Council. From 1973 to 1979, he was appointed unofficial member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. From 1985 to 1988, he was again among the first elected members of the Legislative Council through Urban Council constituency in the first Legislative Council election in 1985.
The Eastern District Council is the district council for the Eastern District in Hong Kong. It is one of 18 such councils. The Eastern District Council currently consists of 35 members, of which the district is divided into 35 constituencies, electing a total of 35 members. The last election was held on 24 November 2019.
Southern District Council is the district council for the Southern District in Hong Kong. It is one of 18 such councils. The Southern District Council currently consists of 17 members, of which the district is divided into 17 constituencies, electing a total of 17 members. The last election was held on 24 November 2019.
The United Nations Association of Hong Kong was a political organisation formed for promoting the values of the United Nations to Hong Kong residents. It was founded by Director of Sincere Co. Ltd Ma Man-fai in 1953.
The 1983 Hong Kong Urban Council election was held on 8 March 1983 for the elected seats of the Urban Council. It marked the centenary of the establishment of the Urban Council and the largely reformed electoral methods with the creation of the district-based constituencies and massive expansion of the electorate.
The 1956 Hong Kong Urban Council election was held on 7 March 1956. The elected seats were extended from four to eight seats and the election was for the 6 of the 8 elected seats of the Urban Council of Hong Kong. 6,040 of the 14,682, about 41 per cent of the eligible voters cast their ballots in this election, highest turnout rate in the history of the Urban Council elections.
The 1957 Hong Kong Urban Council election was held on 8 March 1957 for the four of the eight elected seats of the Urban Council of Hong Kong. Since this election the term of the members was extended from two years to four years.
The 1959 Hong Kong Urban Council election was held on 3 March 1959 for the four of the eight elected seats of the Urban Council of Hong Kong. The turnout rate dropped to 30.7 per cent but there were still 7,236 of the 23,584 eligible voters cast their votes, 5,354 ballots from Hong Kong Island and 1,882 from Kowloon. Ernest Charles Wong, chairman of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals won a seat for the Hong Kong Civic Association of which Philip Au of the Reform Club of Hong Kong retired from, while the other three Club incumbents were re-elected.
The 1963 Hong Kong Urban Council election was held on 7 March 1963 for the four of the eight elected seats of the Urban Council of Hong Kong. Elsie Elliott, educator and social activist was first elected to the council on the Reform Club ticket, while lawyer Cheung Wing-in became the new elected member for the Hong Kong Civic Association.
The 1965 Hong Kong Urban Council election was held on 3 March 1965 for the six of the ten elected seats of the Urban Council of Hong Kong after the membership of the elected members increased from eight to ten.
The 1969 Hong Kong Urban Council election was held on 5 March 1969 for the five of the ten elected seats of the Urban Council of Hong Kong. 8,178 of 34,392 registered voters voted, the turnout rate was 23.8 per cent, a sharp decline from the record breaking turnout in the previous election in 1967.
The 1985 Hong Kong District Board elections were the second district board elections held on 7 March 1985 for the all 19 districts of Hong Kong.
The 1973 Hong Kong Urban Council election was held on 7 March 1973 for the seven of the 12 elected seats of the Urban Council of Hong Kong. Two new elected seats were created in the election. 8,675 eligible voters cast their votes, the turnout rate was 27.64 per cent.
Solomon Rafeek, BEM was an elected member of the Urban Council of Hong Kong.
Liberalism has a long tradition as an economic philosophy since the founding of Hong Kong as an entrepôt which cherishes private property, the free market, and free trade. In recent decades, Hong Kong has earned its international reputation as one of the "freest economies in the world". As a political trend, liberalism has become the driving force of the democratic movement since the 1980s which is mainly represented by the pro-democracy camp which strives for the universal suffrage, human rights and rule of law in Hong Kong.
