- Title: HONG KONG: VOTING BEGINS IN HONG KONG'S FIRST FULLY DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS
- Date: 18th September 1994
- Summary: HONG KONG (SEPTEMBER 18, 1994) (REUTERS TELEVISION-ACCESS ALL) 1. GV VOTERS ARRIVE AT POLLING STATION 0.07 2. GV PARTY OFFICIALS HANDING LEAFLETS TO VOTERS 0.14 3. GV PARTY OFFICIALS TALKING TO VOTERS 0.24 4. GV MAN GOES INTO POLLING STATION 0.27 5. GV HONG KONG GOVERNOR CHRIS PATTEN ARRIVING AT POLLING STATION 0.33 6. GV CAMERA OPERATORS 0.36 7. GV PATTEN COMES OUT OF POLLING STATION 0.43 8. GV PATTEN SAYS: "I HOPE YOU'VE ALL VOTED" (ENGLISH) 0.46 9. CU PATTEN SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 1.01 (ENGLISH) 10. GV MORE OF VOTERS COMING TO VOTE 1.07 11. GV ALLEN LEE OF THE LIBERAL PARTY (YELLOW SHIRT) TURNING UP TO VOTE 1.17 12. GV VOTING IN PROGRESS IN STATION (THROUGH DOOR) 1.22 13. GV PARTY OFFICIALS WITH SIGNS 1.26 14. GV CHARLES FONG, A HONG KONG VOTER, SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 1.34 15. GV MORE OF PEOPLE GOING INTO POLLING STATION 1.45 SEQUENCE 9 TRANSCRIPT: PATTEN :"I THINK THAT IT'S THE MARK OF A CIVILISED COMMUNITY LIKE THIS TO SEE HUSBANDS AND WIVES COMING IN WITH THEIR CHILDREN TO CAST THEIR VOTE. IT'S NOT SURPRISING THAT IN A COMMUNITY AS SUCCESSFUL, AND PROSPEROUS AND AS STABLE AS HONG KONG.." SEQUENCE 14 TRANSCRIPTION: FONG :"IT'S A DUTY FOR OUR HONG KONG CITIZENS, SO THAT'S WHY I'VE COME TO VOTE" Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 3rd October 1994 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HONG KONG
- City:
- Country: Hong Kong
- Reuters ID: LVAD2YAMNQHHJWX3QI2Y2VFL35CW
- Story Text: Voting began on Sunday (September 18) in Hong Kong's first fully democratic elections, despite bitter Chinese opposition to the political reforms that made them possible.
More than 750 candidates are contesting 346 seats on District Boards, the lowest of Hong Kong's three tiers of representative government.
Beijing's insistence it will scrap all three tiers when it resumes sovereignty of the British colony in 1997 has not deterred candidates from standing, and opinion polls predict it will not scare off voters.
Surveys carried out by the University of Hong Kong in the past week indicate the pro-democracy camp is expected to prevail over the pro-Beijing parties.
The political reforms, introduced by Governor Chris Patten and approved by the Legislative Council on July 1, abolished appointed members of District Boards and lowered the voting age to 18 from 21.
After his visit to a Hong Kong polling station on Sunday, Patten said the right to vote was important in a society like Hong Kong.
Voter Charles Fong said he was voting because it was the duty of citizens to vote.
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