TNAG-1353-FCO40-1794-Constitutional-development-in-Hong-Kong-1985 — Page 39

83

HKK Onli

CR 300

RESTRICTED

RESTRICTet

FM HONG KONG 140140Z MAR 35

TO ROUTINE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON

TELEGRAM NUMBER 232 OF 14 MARCH

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AND TO ROUTINE FCO, BRUSSELS, UKMIS GENEVA, CG NEW YORK, WASHINGTON

FOR HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OVERSEAS REPRESENTATIVES

HKG/GT/38: HONG KONG DISTRICT BOARD ELECTIONS.

1. THE FIRST TERRITORY-WIDE ELECTIONS FOR THE 19 DISTRICT BOARDS

WERE HELD ON 7 MARCH 1985. A TOTAL OF 477 NOMINATED CANDIDATES

CONTESTED 213 SEATS IN 130 CONSTITUENCIES (24 CANDIDATES WERE

RETURNED UNOPPOSED IN 15 CONSTITUENCIES).

2. A TOTAL OF 476,530 REGISTERES VOTERS, 1.E., 37.5 PERCENT OF

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS IN CONTESTED CONSTITUENCIES.

THIS PERCENTAGE TURNOUT COMPARES FAVOURABLE WITH THAT FOR THE

1982 ELECTIONS BUT THE ABSOLUTE FIGURE OF VOTERS INCREASED BY

134,000. THE INCREASE IN VOTERS WAS PARTICULARLY PROMINENT IN THE NEW TERRITORIES DISTRICTS, WHERE THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF

100 PERCENT OVER THE 1982 FIGURE. OF THE 120 DISTRICT BOARD

MEMBERS SEEKING RE-ELECTION, 31 WERE RETURNED TO OFFICE.

3. THE ELECTED CANDIDATES COME FROM A WIDE VARIETY OF SOCIAL

BACKGROUNDS AND ARE SIGNIFICANTLY YOUNGER THAN THOSE RETURNED

AT PREVIOUS ELECTIONS, WITH 55 PERCENT BEING BETWEEN THE AGES

OF 21-40.

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IN

4. A NEW FEATURE WAS THE EMERGENCE OF SO-CALLED COALITIONS'

SOME DISTRICTS. FAR FROM RESEMBLING COMBINED POLITICAL PARTIES, HOWEVER, THESE COALITIONS' WERE NO MORE THAN INDIVIDUALS LOOSELY BANDED TOGETHER FOR PUBLICITY AND THE SHARING OF ELECTORAL EXPENDITURES. IT IS QUESTIONABLE WHETHER THEY WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST AFTER THE CANDIDATES CONCERNED HAVE TAKEN THEIR SEATS IN

THEIR RESPECTIVE BOARDS.

5. AROUND SIXTY SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES WERE ASSOCIATED WITH LOCAL PRESSURE GROUPS WHILST FIVE WERE AFFILIATED TO LEFT-WING TRADE UNIONS. CANDIDATES WITH AC/MAC BACKGROUNDS ACHIEVED CONSIDERABLE SUCCESSES. THE REFORM CLUB AND CIVIC ASSOCIATION PERFORMED MODERATELY

WELL.

RESTRICHES

16.