Civic duty drives some Hongkongers to vote, while others drawn by incentives

Some Hongkongers have said they took part in the Legislative Council election out of a sense of civic duty, while others were drawn by company benefits, retail discounts and souvenirs offered to holders of voting thank-you cards arranged by the government to boost turnout.

According to the Post’s observation at more than 10 polling stations across the city on Sunday, a majority of the voters were elderly. One 85-year-old woman made her way to a polling station in Wan Chai with a walking stick and her Indonesian helper.

The woman, surnamed Li, said she had voted in every election out of a sense of civic duty since settling in Hong Kong years ago.

“I hope my vote can help Hong Kong get better,” she said.

At the Yaumati Catholic Primary School (Hoi Wang Road) polling station, 75-year-old Lo Ha voted shortly after the doors opened at 7.30am.