(c) lowering the voting age to 18 would involve constitutional change and thus violate the
provisions of the Sino-British Joint Declaration;
(d) too rapid and drastic a change to the present system would adversely affect the stability and
prosperity of Hong Kong; and
(e) lowering the voting age to 18 would benefit disproportionately candidates from the education
sector.
17.8 The most common reasons given for lowering the age of entitlement to vote to 18 were that:
(a) giving voting rights to 18-year-olds would promote their civic awareness;
(b) 18-year-olds were adequately mature and knowledgeable;
(c) 18-year-olds were already regarded as adults for other purposes; and
(d) lowering the voting age to 18 would increase the size of the electorate and hence the
representativeness of elections.
B. PUBLIC OPINION SURVEYS
17.9 The two surveys commissioned by the Office showed the following results:
Options
(1) The voting age should remain at 21 years
(2) Lower to 18 years
(3) Don't know/no opinion
(Number of respondents)
AGB McNair HK Ltd.
1st survey
2nd survey
%
%
64
67
22
17
14
16
(3 007)
(3 002)
17.10 A total of 103 surveys conducted by or on behalf of other organisations covered this subject, of which 22 involved probability (random) sampling and 81 involved no such sampling.
17.11 The following table broadly summarises the findings of the 22 surveys involving probability (random) sampling, of which three targeted the entire adult population and 19 targeted specific groups. The sample sizes of these surveys ranged from 88 to 1 334 respondents.
Summarised Options
Surveys covering entire adult population
Survey Research
Hong Kong Ltd.
(I survey)
Marketing Decision
Research Co. Ltd. (1 survey)
Concerned Staff of Tertiary Educational
Institutions for Constitutional Development
(1 survey)
Surveys covering
specific population
groups (19 surveys)
%
%
%
%
To make no change to the voting age, i.e. to remain at 21 years
63
46
70
37 to 77
To lower the age to 18 years
24
34
18
19 to 54
Other views/no comment/no opinion
13
20
12
1 to 54
17.12 The following table broadly summarises the findings of the 81 surveys involving no probability (random) sampling, of which 79 covered 33 640 individuals and two covered 611 groups, associations or other bodies.
Summarised Options
Number of Individuals
Number of groups, associations or
To make no change to the voting age, i.e. to remain at 21 years
To lower the age to 18 years
Other views/no comment/no opinion
68
other bodies
22 347
478
7 180
114
4 113
19
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.