MONDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1983
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HELP FOR BLIND VOTERS
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A GUIDANCE NOTE IN BRAILLE HAS BEEN PRODUCED TO HELP BLIND ELECTORS VOTE IN THE URBAN COUNCIL ELECTIONS WHICH ARE ONLY NINE DAYS AWAY.
COPIES OF THE GUIDANCE NOTE ARE NOW ON DISPLAY AT VARIOUS ORGANISATIONS FOR THE BLIND, PUBLIC ENQUIRY COUNTERS OF ALL URBAN DISTRICT OFFICES AND THE URBAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT'S DISTRICT OFFICES.
ON ELECTION DAY TUESDAY, MARCH 8 — COPIES OF THE NOTE WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE AT POLLING STATIONS WHERE PRESIDING OFFICERS WILL GIVE FURTHER ASSISTANCE TO BLIND VOTERS.
OUTLINING VOTING PROCEDURES FOR THE BLIND, A CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION SPOKESMAN SAID TODAY THAT REGISTERED BLIND VOTERS WOULD RECEIVE A POLLING CARD INFORMING THEM OF THE ADDRESS OF THE POLLING STATION AT WHICH THEY COULD VOTE BETWEEN 7 AM AND 11 PM ON MARCH 8.
VOTERS SHOULD BRING ALONG THE IR HONG KONG IDENTITY CARDS.
+AT THE POLLING STATIONS, THEY WILL BE ASSISTED BY ELECTION OFFICIALS WHILE PEOPLE ACCOMPANYING THEM WILL HAVE TO WAIT OUTSIDE, HE SAID.
+AFTER VERIFICATION OF THEIR IDENTITY, THE BLIND VOTERS WILL BE GIVEN A BALLOT PAPER AND ESCORTED TO A POLLING BOOTH WHERE THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL MARK THE BALLOT PAPER ON THEIR BEHALF ACCORDING TO THE IR INSTRUCTION, FOLD IT AND PUT IT INTO THE BALLOT BOX, THUS COMPLETING THE VOTING PROCEDURES.
+THE PRESIDING OFFICER WILL KEEP ALL INFORMATION CONFIDENTIAL,+
THE SPOKESMAN SAID IT WAS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT VOTERS WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO TALK TO ANYBODY EXCEPT THE PRESIDING OFFICER OR HIS STAFF WHILE INSIDE POLLING STATIONS, AND THAT THEY COULD VOTE FOR ONLY ONE CANDIDATE.
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