Before each NPC term, the National People's Congress Election Conference of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is formed. It then accepts applications from Hong Kong residents who are Chinese citizens aged 18 or above to run for election. Candidates must have at least 10 members of the Election Conference complete their nomination forms to be registered as delegates. Election Conference members can also register. Finally, the Election Conference elects 36 official delegates from among the delegates.
Composition of previous election conferences
The election conference for the 9th National People's Congress deputies of Hong Kong was composed of Chinese citizens who were members of the selection committee for the first government of Hong Kong as stipulated in the "Decision of the National People's Congress on the Method for the Formation of the First Government and Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region", as well as Chinese citizens who were members of the 8th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and members of the Provisional Legislative Council of Hong Kong who were not members of the selection committee, except for those who indicated that they did not wish to participate. [2]
The election conference for the 10th National People's Congress deputies of Hong Kong was composed of those who had participated in the election conference for the 9th National People's Congress deputies of Hong Kong, as well as Chinese citizens who were members of the 9th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and members of the Election Committee for the second chief executive of Hong Kong, but who were not the aforementioned persons. However, those who indicated that they did not wish to participate were excluded. The chief executive of Hong Kong was a member of the election conference for the 10th National People's Congress deputies of Hong Kong. [3] The election conference for the 11th National People's Congress deputies of Hong Kong was composed of those who had participated in the election conference for the 10th National People's Congress deputies of Hong Kong, as well as Chinese citizens who were members of the 10th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and members of the Election Committee for the 3rd chief executive of Hong Kong, but not those who indicated that they did not wish to participate. The chief executive of Hong Kong was a member of the election conference for the 11th National People's Congress deputies of Hong Kong. [4]
The election conference for the 12th National People's Congress deputies of Hong Kong was composed of those who had participated in the election conference for the 11th National People's Congress deputies of Hong Kong, as well as Chinese citizens who were members of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and members of the Election Committee for the 4th chief executive of Hong Kong, but not those who indicated that they did not wish to participate. The chief executive of Hong Kong was a member of the election conference for the 12th National People's Congress deputies of Hong Kong. In short, the electorate for this election meeting consists of Chinese citizens who participated in the previous election meeting for Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress, the previous members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference from Hong Kong, and the current chief executive of Hong Kong and members of his Election Committee.
In March 2022, the National People's Congress adopted the "Methods for Electing Deputies to the 14th National People's Congress from Hong Kong of the People's Republic of China". The election conference was composed of Chinese citizens who were the current chief executive of Hong Kong and members of the Election Committee, except for those who indicated that they did not wish to participate. Members of the previous election conference would not automatically become members of the next election conference. The decision was said to be related to "improving the electoral system". [5]
Election work
According to Article 60 of the Constitution, the election of deputies to the next National People's Congress (NPC) must be completed two months before the expiration of each NPC term, and the NPC Standing Committee shall preside over the election. In March, one year before the expiration of each NPC term, the NPC adopts a decision and procedure concerning the number of deputies to the next NPC and the election process—the "Procedures for the Election of Deputies to the XXth National People's Congress from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China," stipulating that deputies to the next NPC should be elected in January of the year in which the next NPC term begins. The NPC and its Standing Committee attach great importance to the election of NPC deputies from Hong Kong. Starting in the first half of the year before the expiration of each NPC term, the NPC Standing Committee begins preparations for the election work in accordance with the law. From July to September of the same year, the General Office of the NPC Standing Committee, in accordance with the election procedures, distributes registration forms for members of the election conference in Hong Kong, inquiring whether they are eligible to participate in the election conference and accepting registration. From August to October, the NPC Standing Committee, based on the qualified voters and those who agree to participate, approves and publishes the list of members of the election conference for deputies to the next National People's Congress from Hong Kong, thus establishing the election conference. In November, the election conference officially began its work. [6]
According to the provisions of the election procedure, the work of the election meeting is roughly divided into three stages. [7] [6] In the first stage, the first plenary meeting of the election conference was held. As is customary, the vice chairman and secretary-general of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (who is conventionally responsible for the election of Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress) will preside over the first plenary meeting and elect several members of the election conference to form the presidium. Subsequent election conferences will be presided over by the presidium. The main responsibilities of the presidium include: determining the election date; determining the nomination time for candidates; announcing the list of candidates; proposing the candidates for chief scrutineer and scrutineers, which will be approved by the election conference; announcing the election results; accepting complaints related to the election of deputies and forwarding them to the Credentials Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress for handling, etc. The Presidium then held its first meeting, electing one chief executive chairman from among its members. Subsequent Presidium meetings will be chaired by the chief executive chairman. As is customary, the chief executive chairman is the then chief executive of Hong Kong. The Presidium meetings will determine the nomination period for candidates for Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress (generally between November and December) and the Presidium's spokesperson. [8] [9] [10]
In the second stage, members of the election conference nominate "representative candidates" and confirm "official representative candidates" in accordance with the law. Candidates must be nominated jointly by at least ten members of the election conference, and each member may not jointly nominate more than thirty-six candidates. Therefore, before the nomination period for Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress, those intending to run must obtain, fill out, and return a candidate registration form, attaching nomination letters from at least ten members of the election conference to qualify for the election and become representative candidates. After the nomination period, the presidium holds a second meeting to compile and publish the list and brief introductions of representative candidates, distributing the list and introductions to all members of the election conference. In the past, if there were a large number of candidates, a preliminary election would be held, and those who received the most votes would become “official candidates”. Since the ninth session, the election of Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress has been conducted in accordance with the principle of differential election, that is, the number of candidates must be one-fifth to one-half more than the number of seats to be filled. If the number of candidates exceeds one-half, they must all go through a preliminary election to become official candidates. In the 10th election of Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress in 2002, there were 78 candidates from Hong Kong, which was more than one-half of the number of Hong Kong deputies to be filled. Finally, 54 “official candidates” were preliminarily elected. [8]
In the third stage, the second plenary session of the election conference is held to appoint a chief scrutineer and several scrutineers. Voting takes place using a full-vote system, where members of the election conference can cast a maximum of thirty-six votes for different official candidates (votes with fewer than thirty-six votes are still valid). After voting, the chief scrutineer reports the vote count to the presidium of the election conference. The presidium holds its third meeting, deciding to issue a public announcement of the election results and submit a report on the results to the Credentials Committee of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. Generally, if there are no ties, the 36 official candidates with the most votes become Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress, while those who lose after this stage can still become alternate deputies if they receive at least one-third of the total votes. [8]
The specific arrangements for the second and third phases will be studied and decided by the Presidium after its formation, and an announcement will be issued. The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress will confirm the qualifications of the deputies and publish the list of deputies based on the report submitted by the Credentials Committee. [8]
