Hong Kong: Hong Kong’s Legislative Council election recorded one of the lowest turnouts in the city’s history, as residents grapple with shock and frustration following the city’s deadliest fire in nearly eight decades.
Officials said turnout reached 31.9 percent, a slight rise from the record low of 30.2 percent in 2021. Analysts had expected numbers to dip further after the fire that killed at least 159 people and exposed serious failures in safety oversight.
Tension was especially high in Tai Po, near the mainland border, where the blaze ripped through seven residential towers on November 26. Authorities say cheap, unsafe materials used during building renovations helped fuel the fire and made it harder for firefighters to contain the flames.
The government has since launched criminal and corruption investigations, and nearly 100 police officers were deployed around the fire site on election day to manage crowds and prevent unrest.
Only candidates approved as patriots were allowed to run under rules imposed after the political overhaul in 2021. Pro-democracy figures have been barred from participating, and many of their supporters have stayed away from polling stations.
Hong Kong’s anti-corruption agency reported four arrests on Sunday, saying the men were accused of using social media to encourage people not to vote or to cast invalid ballots. Another warrant was issued for a man over a similar post.
Calls to boycott elections were criminalised under the city’s expanded security laws, part of a broader effort that has sharply reduced political diversity. To lift turnout, the government extended voting hours by two hours and opened additional polling centres. Business groups and major companies also urged staff and the public to vote.
Despite these efforts, public resentment remains strong. At a memorial near the burnt-out estate, residents posted messages criticising authorities and mourning the victims. Notices indicated the area would be cleared soon after polls closed, a move residents saw as an attempt to limit visible anger.
Beijing’s national security office warned against protests and told foreign media outlets not to spread what it called misinformation about the fire response. Registered voters have continued to decline for four years, down from a peak of 4.47 million in 2021 to 4.13 million this year.
After casting his vote, Hong Kong leader John Lee urged citizens to participate, saying every vote represented a commitment to rebuilding and supporting the victims of the fire.
