Democrats are not eligible for election expenses by DQ, the Civic Party is expected to lose 2 million prime people rely on pre-election crowdfunding

Political situation

Written by: Luo Jiaqing

2020-08-03 07:00

The Legislative Council election was originally scheduled to be held on September 6. The Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced a few days ago that due to the new crown pneumonia epidemic, he decided to apply the "Emergency Law" to postpone the Legislative Council election for one year until September 5 next year. In this election, 12 pro-democracy candidates have been disqualified from participating in the election. The government stated that the list of candidates whose nomination was invalidated by the Returning Officer before the suspension of the election will not receive election expenses and will only refund the election deposit.

The "protestant" candidates who have been candidates for DQ said that they spent more than 100,000 election expenses. Because they had initiated crowdfunding before the election, they believed that they could meet the related expenses; 4 candidates were citizens of DQ The party pointed out that it is expected to spend at least 2 million yuan in expenses, and it is a serious blow to the party that it will not receive election expenses, and it is also a major financial crisis.

According to the practice of the Legislative Council elections in the past, there are three ways to calculate the election funding for candidates. One is that if a candidate receives 5% or more of valid votes, it can be calculated based on the number of votes obtained by the candidate/list. Can get 15 yuan; the second is to subsidize 50% of the maximum amount of election expenses; the third is to subsidize the election expenses declared by the candidate/list.

Since this election was not held, the funding cannot be calculated based on the votes of the candidates. It is reported that the government may adopt the third method, which is to subsidize the election expenses declared by the candidates/lists, which is the actual reimbursement.

Disqualified persons

Hong Kong Island: Yuan Jiawei, Liang Huangwei, Zheng Dahong (Citizen Party), Zheng Kamman (enthusiastic citizen)

Kowloon East: Huang Zhifeng

New Territories East: Liu Wei Kuang, Ho Kwai Lan, Yang Yueqiao (Citizen Party)

New Territories West: Guo Jiaqi (Citizen Party)

Super zone: Cen Aohui

Legal circle: Guo Rongkeng (Citizen Party)

Accounting: Liang Jichang (professional discussion of politics)

In the practice of the Legislative Council elections, there are three different calculation methods for the election funding of candidates. (Profile picture)

Liang Huangwei paid more than 100,000 in crowdfunding before election

The Central and Western District Councillor Leung Hoang-wai, who was ruled that the nomination for the Hong Kong Island district was invalid, said that this election spent more than 100,000 in election expenses. Since crowdfunding was initiated before the election, he believes that he can meet the relevant expenses. Regarding whether there will be crowdfunding for election expenses, he said that according to his understanding, candidates cannot initiate crowdfunding or fundraising activities for their election expenses after the election is announced, otherwise they may violate the law.

Among the 6 candidates for the Civic Party, 4 were DQ, including Yang Yueqiao, Guo Rongkeng, Guo Jiaqi and Zheng Dahong. Lai Renbiao, the vice chairman of the Civic Party, said when inquired that the party has no official election expenses, but it is expected to spend at least 2 million yuan. He pointed out that the government did not pay election expenses to the DQ recipients. As expected, it was a heavy blow to the party and a major financial crisis.

Can apply for reimbursement without confirming the qualifications

As for Tan Wenhao who participated in the election of Kowloon East and Lin Ruihua from the food and beverage industry, they received enquiries from the Returning Officer but their qualifications for the election were not confirmed. As for whether there will be crowdfunding, he said that we still need to do research and deliberate on the long-term.

Lin Ruihua pointed out that it is unknown whether he and other candidates who have been inquired but have not been confirmed to participate in the election will be refunded the election expenses, and need to check with the bureau. He felt unclear about the fact that some members of the Civic Party were DQ and the qualifications of some of them were not confirmed, but he emphasized that he would continue to speak for the industry.

It is understood that candidates who have not been DQ or confirmed to stand for election can still apply to the government for reimbursement of election expenses.

He Qiming said that he has rented a large billboard in Chatham Road South, Hung Hom, at a cost of 200,000 yuan for a period of two months. (Photo by Wu Zhuoan)

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The ADPL Ho Kai-ming, who was running for the direct election in Kowloon West, received an enquiry from the Returning Officer but failed to confirm his eligibility for the election. He said that since the election was announced in June, election projects have been carried out. It is "they raise money by oneself, and the ADPL gives out", emphasizing that he is just an ordinary district councillor, and the ADPL is also a small political party, "all the people are buried under the cage."

He Qiming pointed out that if the government does not reimburse election expenses to candidates who are not qualified to stand for elections, "it will be lost." Therefore, I hope the government can explain clearly as soon as possible.

Four incumbent members of the Legislative Council were elected by the DQ. Even if the current term of office is extended by one year, it is still unknown whether they can return to the Parliament. (Profile picture / Photo by Luo Junhao)

Legislative Council Election 2020 Legislative Council Election Democrats Civic Party Political System and Mainland Affairs Bureau Zeng Guowei