XN000022-1994-09-18 — Page 2

1

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1994

GOVERNOR EXPECTS BETTER VOTER TURNOUT THAN LAST ELECTIONS

* *

THE GOVERNOR, THE RT HON CHRISTOPHER PATTEN, THIS (SUNDAY) AFTERNOON SAID HE WAS PLEASED WITH THE VOTER TURNOUT OF 412 495 AT 5.30 PM TODAY WHICH WAS 150 000 MORE OR 60 PER CENT HIGHER THAN THE CORRESPONDING FIGURE IN THE LAST DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS AND ALMOST AS MANY PEOPLE WHO HAD TURNED OUT TO VOTE AS IN THE ENTIRE 1991 DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.

SPEAKING TO REPORTERS AFTER HIS VISIT TO THE DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS PRESS CENTRE AT CITY HALL, THE GOVERNOR SAID: "IN A SOPHISTICATED COMMUNITY LIKE HONG KONG, IT SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISING TO SEE SO MANY PEOPLE TURNING OUT TO PUT THEIR OWN STAMP ON THE WAY THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD CONDUCTS ITS AFFAIRS. AND THAT'S INDEED WHAT WE'RE SEEING.

11]

MR PATTEN SAID HE HOPED TO SEE A FAR BIGGER POLL THAN THE LAST DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.

"I THINK THAT WILL DEMONSTRATE THAT PEOPLE IN HONG KONG ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR DISTRICT BOARDS AND I THINK IT WILL BE A GOOD SIGN FOR NEXT YEAR, FOR THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL ELECTIONS AND FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL ELECTIONS, HE SAID.

"I

IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION AS TO WHY HE WAS FOCUSING ON TOTAL NUMBER, THE GOVERNOR SAID THE TEST OF WHETHER IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL ELECTION WAS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO TURNED OUT TO VOTE.

WE WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR IN OUR VOTER REGISTRATION DRIVE SO THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE REGISTERED TO VOTE, JUST LIKE THE CANDIDATES, IS FAR HIGHER, MR PATTEN SAID.

"THEREFORE, IN ORDER TO GET ABOUT THE SAME PERCENTAGE TURNOUT, YOU NEED TO GET A FAR LARGER NUMBER OF PEOPLE VOTING AND THAT IS WHAT IS HAPPENING.

"YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS. SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING THE LAST FEW WEEKS THAT THE REGISTRATION FIGURES WERE THEMSELVES INFLATED BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE ON THE LIST WERE ON THE LIST.

"IN THAT CASE, IT MAKES THE FIGURES THAT WE ARE SEEING TODAY EVEN MORE REMARKABLE.

■

נן

G

/2