The Election Committee has five sectors,each composed of a number of subsectors (with a total of 38 subsectors). Amongst the 38 subsectors,members of 35 subsectors are returned by elections. [9] The Annex I of Basic Law states that the Election Committee shall be composed of 1,500 members from the five sectors:
First sector
The first sector composed of members from industrial,commercial and financial backgrounds. They are mostly elected by corporate votes and is the highest portion of uncontested subsectors. [11] It includes the following subsectors:
Catering
The Catering Subsector is corresponding to the Catering functional constituency and contains both corporate and individual members who hold food licences and/or members of the Association such as the Association for the Hong Kong Catering Services Management,the Hong Kong Catering Industry Association and the Association of Restaurant Managers. Individual voters take the 94% of the electorate as the number of the individuals and corporates both registered as voters has grown significantly. The Catering Subsector had contested in 1998 and 2000 with the low turnout rate of 11% in both years.
Commercial (First)
The Commercial (First) Subsector has a corresponding functional constituency Commercial (First) and consists of corporate members of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce who are allowed to vote at general meetings. The corporate voters in the Subsector had dropped from in 1,293 in 1998 to 990 in 2006. The Subsector had contested in the 1998 and 2000 elections and the voter turnout rate were 45.34% and 30.91% respectively.
Commercial (Second)
The Commercial (Second) Subsector has a corresponding functional constituency Commercial (Second) and consists of individual and corporate members of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce who are allowed to vote at general meetings. The electorate remained unchanged from 1998 to 2009 and electorates are equally divided between corporates and individuals. The Commercial (Second) Subsector did not have a contested election in 1998 and 2000.
Employers' Federation of Hong Kong
The Employers' Federation of Hong Kong Subsector is one of the five subsectors without a corresponding functional constituency. It is composed of corporations including banking and financial services,hotel and catering,industrial and manufacturing,insurance,professional and business services,construction,shipping,trading,distribution,and transportation companies who are members of the Employers' Federation of Hong Kong and entitled to vote at general meetings. There were 112 bodies registered as electors in 2000. They had a contested election in 1998 and was uncontested in 2000.
Finance
The Finance Subsector is corresponding to the Finance functional constituency and consists of corporate bodies that are banks and deposit-taking companies. In 2006 there were 136 corporate bodies registered as electors. Finance Subsector had contested elections in the 1998,2000 and the 2002 by-election. The voter turnout in the 1998 and 2000 elections were 81.56% and 70.29% respectively. In the 2002 by-election there were only two candidates running for one seat with 24.39% turnout rate.
Financial Services
The Financial Service Subsector has a corresponding Financial Services functional constituency. From 1998 to 2004 the Subsector included both individuals and corporations who are exchange participants of an exchange company or corporate members entitled to vote at the general meetings at the Chinese Gold &Silver Exchange Society. 116 individuals and bodies were the registered electorates before 2004 and beginning in 2006 the Subsector came to consist of Stock Exchange Hong Kong,Hong Kong Futures Exchange,and members of the Chinese Gold &Silver Exchange Society which are only corporate members. The Subsector has remained a highly contested subsector in the 1998,2000 and 2006 elections with about 65% turnout rate.
Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association
The Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association subsector is another subsector of the five without an equivalent functional constituency. It consists of individuals and corporations who are members of the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association and allowed to vote at general meetings. The association was established in 1991 and its membership includes companies which are registered in Hong Kong,solely-funded or joint ventures with their original capital from Mainland China. The corporate voters continue to dominate with 220,99.5% of the electorate in 1996 were corporations,310,97.1% in 2006. The Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association Subsector never had a contested election.
Hotel
The Hotel Subsector when taken together with the Tourism Subsector corresponds with the Tourism functional constituency. The Hotel Subsector is formed from corporations who are members of the Hong Kong Hotels Association or the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners eligible to vote at the general meetings. There were 81 registered bodies in 1998 and 95 in 2006. The Subsector had elections in 1998 and 2006 with high turnout of 85% and 81.05% respectively. The 1998 election was competitive with 18 candidates running for 11 seats,and 15 candidates running for 11 seats in 2006.
Import and Export
The Import and Export Subsector corresponds with the Import and Export functional constituency and currently consists of corporations and individuals who are members of the Hong Kong Chinese Importers' and Exporters' Association and companies which are licensed to import and export dutiable commodities,motor vehicles and chemicals. In 2006 there were 777 registered corporate electors and 615 individual electors. The Import and Export Subsector had only a contested election in 1998 with turnout rate of 34.55%.
Industrial (First)
The Industrial (First) Subsector corresponds to the Industrial (First) functional constituency. It is composed of both individual and corporate members of the Federation of Hong Kong Industries who are entitled to vote at general meetings. In 2004 and 2006 there were no individuals registered electors and there were 794 and 743 corporations registered respectively. The Subsector held elections in 1998 and 2000 and in the 2000 election there were 23 candidates running for 12 seats.
Industrial (Second)
The Industrial (Second) Subsector is corresponding to the Industrial (Second) functional constituency of the same corporate members of the Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong that are entitled to vote at general meetings. In 2006 there were 517 registered corporate electors. The Industrial (Second) Subsector never had a contested election.
Insurance
The Insurance Subsector corresponds with the Insurance functional constituency and contains companies who are authorised or deemed authorised insurers. The makeup of the Subsector's electorate has changed very little since 1998 as there were 192 registered companies and 140 registered in 2006. There were contested elections in 1998,2000 and 2006 with turnout rates of 87.56%,76.16% and 65.71%.
Real Estate and Construction
The Real Estate and Construction Subsector corresponds with the functional constituency Real Estate and Construction and consists of individual and corporate members of the Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong,the Hong Kong Construction Association,and the Hong Kong E&M Contractors' Association who are entitled to vote at general meetings. Large increase in the number and proportion of the individual electors was seen from 1998 when there were 62 individuals making up 15.8% of the electorate and 286 comprising 42.2% in 2000. The proportion remained consistent from 2000 to 2006 when there were 427 corporate electors and 292 individuals. The Real Estate and Construction Subsector held contested elections in 1998,2000,and 2006 with turnout rates of around 65%.
Textiles and Garment
The Textiles and Garment Subsector has a corresponding functional constituency Textiles and Garment. Corporate members of associations such as the Textile Council of Hong Kong,Federation of Hong Kong Garment Manufacturers,the Hong Kong Chinese Textile Mills Associations,and the Hong Kong Institution of Textile and Apparel who are allowed to vote at general meetings are the electors of this Subsector. Individuals include registered textiles and clothing manufacturers,and registered textile traders. From 1998 and 2000 there was significant increase in registered corporations from 2,690 in 1998 to 4.623 in 2000 and have a large proportion of the electorate. In 2006 there were 3,690 registered corporation (97.6% of the electorate) and 89 registered individuals (2.4% of the electorate). The Subsector held contested elections in 1998,2006 and the 2005 by-election.
Tourism
The Tourism Subsector corresponds to the Tourism functional constituency with the Hotel Subsector. It consists of the corporate members of the former Hong Kong Tourist Association,the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong,and the Board of the Airline Representatives in Hong Kong who are entitled to vote at general meetings. In 2006 there were 887 corporations registered as electors. The Tourism Subsector had contested election in 1998,2000 and 2006 with voter turnout rates of 63.86%,50%,and 64.13%. In 2006 it had one of them most highly contested subsector elections with 29 candidates running for 12 seats.
Transport
The Transport Subsector corresponds to the Transport functional constituency and consists of bodies including the Airport Authority Hong Kong,Hong Kong Public &Maxicab Light Bus United Association,and MTR Corporation. In 2006 there were 179 registered corporate electors and the number remained little changed. The Transport Subsector held contested elections in 1998,2000,and 2006.
Wholesale and Retail
The Wholesale and Retail Subsector is corresponding the Wholesale and Retail functional constituency and consists of both corporate and individual members of 84 different associations including the Chinese Merchants (H.K.) Association,Hong Kong Retail Management Association,and Chinese Medicine Merchants Association. The Wholesale and Retail had contested elections in 1998,2000 and 2006 with relatively low turnout rates of 34.56%,28.66%,and 32.26% respectively.
Second Sector
Accountancy
The Accountancy Subsector is corresponding to the Accountancy functional constituency and includes individuals who are certified public accountants. The number of registered individuals in 1998 was 9,897 and 20,765 in 2006. The Subsector has held contested elections in 1998,2000,and 2006 as well as the 2005 by-election. It has been one of the most highly contested subsectors with an average of 2.04 candidates per seats and 12 candidates for 3 open seats in the 2005 by-election. The turnout rate remained low with an average of 20.03% for 1998,2000,and 2006 elections and 12.14% in the 2005 by-election.
15 seats of the Accountancy sub-sector are nominated from among the Hong Kong Accounting Advisors appointed by the Ministry of Finance of the People's Republic of China. [19]
Architectural,Surveying,Planning and Landscape
The Architectural,Surveying,Planning and Landscape Subsector,formerly called Architectural,Surveying and Planning,has a corresponding Architectural,Surveying,Planning and Landscape functional constituency. It consists of individuals who are registered architects,landscape architects,surveyors,planners or individual members of the organisations such as the Hong Kong Institute of Architects,the Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors and the Hong Kong Institute of Planners entitled to vote a general meetings. Registered landscape architects were not included in the electorate until 2000. In 2006 there were 5,584 registered individuals. The Architectural,Surveying and Planning Subsector had contested elections in 1998,2000,2006,and the 2005 by-election. There were 28 and 40 candidates between 2000 and 2006 elections.
15 seats of the Architectural,Surveying,Planning and Landscape sub-sector are ex officio seats filled by responsible persons of statutory bodies,advisory bodies and relevant association: [19]
Chinese Medicine
The Chinese Medicine Subsector is one of the five subsectors without a corresponding functional constituency. It consists of individual members of ten organisations including the Hong Kong Association of Traditional Medicine,Hong Kong Chinese Herbalists Association,and Society of Practitioners of Chinese Herbal Medicine who are entitled to vote at general meetings. In 2006 there were 4,250 registered individual electors. This Subsector held contested elections in 1998,2000,2006,and the 2005 by-election.
15 seats of the Chinese Medicine sub-sector are nominated from among the Hong Kong members of the Council of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies. [19]
Education
The Education Subsector corresponds with the Education functional constituency. It is formed by a merger with the formerHigher Education Subsector. It has the largest electorate of all subsectors and includes full-time academic staff who are teachers or administrators in publicly funded universities,approved secondary colleges,technical colleges and certain tertiary institutions,members of academic councils,registered teachers,principals,and managers of schools,as well as teachers in institutions such as industrial training centres,technical institutes,and the Caritas Lok Mo Integrated Vocational Training Centre of Caritas.
The former Education Subsector held contested elections in 1998,2000,and 2006. There has been a high level of candidates with an average of 35 candidates for 20 seats. The voter turnout rate remained low with an average of 20.03% in the three elections. In 2006 there were 78,840 registered individual electors. The former Higher Education subsector consisted of 6,856 registered individual electorates in 2006 and is increasingly competitive with 27 candidates in 1998 and 49 in 2006 running for 20 seats.
10 seats of the Education sub-sector are ex officio seats filled by Vice-Chancellor or Presidents of universities: [19]
10 seats of the Education sub-sector are ex officio seats filled by offices specified by sponsoring bodies which operate secondary schools,primary schools and kindergarten that receive recurrent funding from the Government,and the total number of schools managed by the school sponsoring bodies are among the top five of all school sponsoring bodies: [19]
Engineering
The Engineering Subsector corresponds with the Engineering functional constituency and consists of individuals who are professional engineers and members of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers who are entitled to vote at general meetings. In 2006 there were 7,742 registered individual electors. There were contested elections in 1998,2000,2006,and the 2005 by-election.
15 seats of the Engineering sub-sector are ex officio seats filled by responsible persons of statutory bodies,advisory bodies and relevant association: [19]
- President of The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
- Chairman of the Board of the Airport Authority Hong Kong
- Chairman of the Consulting Engineers’Committee
- Chairperson of the Construction Industry Council (Hong Kong)
- Chairman of the Building Contractors Committee
- Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Water Supplies
- Chairman of the Transport Advisory Committee
- Chairman of the Advisory Council on the Environment
- Chairman of the Electrical Safety Advisory Committee
- Chairman of the Gas Safety Advisory Committee
- Chairman of the Energy Advisory Committee
- Chairman of the Advisory Committee on the Appearance of Bridges and Associated Structures
- Chairman of Lift and Escalator Safety Advisory Committee
- Chairman of the Board of MTR Corporation
- Chairperson of the Drinking Water Safety Advisory Committee
Medical and Health Services
The Medical and Health Services Subsector is formed in the 2021 Hong Kong electoral changes upon the merger of the Medical Subsector and Health Services subsector.
The former Medical subsector is corresponding to the former Medical functional constituency which is composed of registered medical practitioners and registered dentists. In 1998 there were 6,784 individual electors and increased to 10,087 in 2006. In 2006 it was one of the most highly contested subsectors with 63 candidates running for 20 seats. The former Health Services subsector is corresponding to the former Health Services functional constituencyincludes registered members of various professions in government or public institutions such as chiropractors,nurses,pharmacists,midwives,optometrists,and physiotherapists. There were changes in the membership such as the omission of the members of the Hong Kong Chiropractors' Association entitled to vote at general meetings since 2001.
15 seats of the Medical and Health Services sub-sector are ex officio seats filled by responsible persons of statutory bodies,advisory bodies and relevant association: [19]
Social Welfare
The Social Welfare Subsector shares a similar but broader electorate base with the Social Welfare functional constituency. It includes both individuals registered as social workers and corporate members of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service who is entitled to vote at general meetings. It also consists of social services societies and registered non-profit companies. There were 11,410 registered individuals and 261 registered bodies in 2006. It was the most highly contested subsector in 2006 with 99 candidates running for 40 seats.
Under the 2021 Hong Kong electoral changes,the Social Welfare Subsector was moved from the Third Sector to the Second Sector with seats halved. 15 seats of the Social Welfare sub-sector are ex officio seats filled by responsible persons of statutory bodies,advisory bodies and relevant association: [19]
- Chairperson of the Executive Council of the Hong Kong Council for Social Service
- Chairperson of the Social Workers Registration Board
- Chairman of the Council of the Institute of Social Service Development
- Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals
- Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Po Leung Kuk
- Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Yan Chai Hospital
- Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pok Oi Hospital
- Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yan Oi Tong Limited
- Chairman of the Executive Committee of The Lok Sin Tong Benevolent Society Kowloon
- Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Home Association Limited
- Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Social Workers Across Borders Limited
- Chairperson of the Board of Directors of The Hong Kong Volunteers Federation Company Ltd.
- Chairperson of the Council of The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions Hong Ling Society
- Chairperson of the Executive Committee of The United Labour Chi Hong Association Limited
- Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hong Kong Island Social Services Charitable Ltd.
The Sports,Performing Arts,Culture and Publication Subsector has a corresponding Sports,Performing Arts,Culture and Publication functional constituency and includes relevant registered statutory bodies,sports associations,designated district sports associations,such as the North District Sports Association,district arts and culture associations,such as the Sha Tin Arts Association,and other designated bodies such as the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and Hong Kong Film Academy. It also consists of individual and bodies there are members of associations including the Hong Kong Book &Magazine Trade Association,and Hong Kong Theatres Association who are entitled to vote at general meetings. There are also number of media associations such as broadcast,newspaper,and telecommunication corporations. There have been several additions in the membership since 1998. all four sub-subsectors form one subsector they each have their own elections. Up to 2010,the Culture Sub-subsector is the only one to have contested elections in all major elections:1998,2000,and 2006. The Performing Arts Sub-subsector had contested elections in 1998 and 2000,and the Sports and Publication Sub-subsectors only had contested election in 1998.
Under the 2021 Hong Kong electoral changes,the Sports,Performing Arts,Culture and Publication Subsector was moved from the Third Sector to the Second Sector with seats halved. 3 seats of the subsector are nominated by the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong,China,9 seats are nominated by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Hong Kong Member Association and a further 3 seats nominated by the Hong Kong Publishing Federation. [19]
Technology and Innovation
The former Information Technology Subsector corresponds with the Information Technology functional constituency and is composed of individuals who are members of relevant organisations including the Hong Kong Computer Society,the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,and the corporate members of bodies such as the Hong Kong Information Technology Federation,Hong Kong Wireless Technology Industry,and Society of Hong Kong External Telecommunications Services Providers who are eligible to vote at genera meetings,as well as corporations with certain licences granted by the Telecommunication Authority. In 2006 there were four organisations where individual members were qualified as electorates although they were not allowed to vote in general meetings such as the Professional Information Security Association and the Hong Kong &Mainland Software Industry Cooperation Association. Since 1998 there have been a number of additional associations included in the electorate. In 2006 there were 4,743 individuals and 261 registered corporations.
Under the 2021 Hong Kong electoral changes,the Information Technology Subsector was replaced by the new Technology and Innovation Subsector with a significantly diminished electoral base. 15 seats of the sub-sector are nominated from among the Hong Kong academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences or the Chinese Academy of Engineering. [19]
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