XN000022-1993-08-30 — Page 2

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MONDAY, AUGUST 30, 1993

1991 LEGCO POLLS FAIR: SURVEY

THE PUBLIC WAS OF THE VIEW THAT THE GOVERNMENT HAD CONDUCTED THE 1991 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DIRECT ELECTIONS IN A FAIR AND OBJECTIVE MANNER, ACCORDING TO A SURVEY COMMISSIONED BY THE COMMITTEE ON THE PROMOTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION.

WHILE THE POLLS WERE CONSIDERED то HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROCESS OF DEMOCRATISATION IN THE TERRITORY, THE VOTERS' CHOICES IN THE ELECTIONS WERE FOUND TO BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OVERALL

ELECTORATE.

THE MASS MEDIA HAD REPORTED ON THE ELECTIONS ADEQUATELY AND IMPARTIALLY.

ON THE WHOLE, THE SURVEY AFFIRMED, THE POLLING EXERCISE WAS CONSIDERED BY THE VOTERS AND NON-VOTERS TO HAVE BEEN A SUCCESS.

IN THEIR STUDY OF THE VOTING BEHAVIOUR IN THE 1991 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL DIRECT ELECTIONS, DR LOUIE KIN-SHEUN AND MISS WAN PO-SAN OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG (THE FORMER LECTURER WITH THE CITY POLYTECHNIC OF HONG KONG NOW) PEOPLE FROM A RANDOM SAMPLE BETWEEN MAY 15 AND JULY 3 LAST YEAR.

A TOTAL OF 1,515 SUCCESSFULLY INTERVIEWED,

CENT.

BEING A SENIOR CONTACTED 3,122

PEOPLE AGED BETWEEN 21 AND REPRESENTING A RESPONSE RATE

OF

69 WERE 48.5. PER

APART FROM THE PROFILE AND BACKGROUND OF THOSE WHO VOTED AS WELL AS THOSE WHO DID NOT, THEY ALSO EXPLORED WHY CENT OF THOSE ELIGIBLE HAVE NOT REGISTERED AND REGISTERED DID NOT TURN OUT AND CAST THEIR VOTE.

MORE THAN 40 PER WHY MANY WHO HAVE

AS REGARDS THOSE WHO DID CAST THEIR BALLOTS, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ELECTORS WERE MOTIVATED BY A VARIETY OF FACTORS ALTHOUGH THE MOTIVE TO "FULFIL A CITIZEN'S DUTY" WAS THE FOREMOST GIVEN REASON (84.4 PER CENT).

BUT, POLITICALLY RELATED REASONS SUCH AS THE "HOPE TO INFLUENCE GOVERNMENT POLICIES" (74.6 PER CENT) AND THE "HOPE TO FACILITATE HONG KONG'S DEMOCRATISATION" (74.2 PER CENT) WERE ALSO IMPORTANT MOTIVATING FACTORS.

AS FOR THOSE WHO ABSTAINED FROM VOTING, THE MAIN REASON CITED WAS INSUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE OF THE CANDIDATES (64.2 PER CENT),

OTHER CAUSES INCLUDED THE FEELING THAT THEIR VOTES WOULD NOT HAVE MUCH INFLUENCE ON THE ELECTORAL OUTCOME (45.5 PER CENT) AND THAT NO SATISFACTORY CANDIDATE COULD BE FOUND IN THE CONSTITUENCY (32.5 PER CENT).

HOWEVER, THE REPORT WAS QUICK TO POINT OUT THAT THE ABSTAINERS DECISION NOT TO VOTE WAS NOT BECAUSE THEY HAD NO TRUST OR FAITH IN THE SYSTEM.

ON THE REASONS FOR NON-REGISTRATION, THE SURVEY FOUND THAT THE LACK OF POLITICAL INTEREST (63.6 PER CENT) WAS THE MOST IMPORTANT. RESIDENTIAL MOBILITY MOVING HOUSE

ALSO EXERTED A SIGNIFICANT

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DEPRESSING EFFECT ON THE REGISTRATION RATE.

/PERSONAL FACTORS