Civil servants will not need to produce one of the thank-you cards being given to voters to prove they cast a ballot in Sunday’s district council elections, says Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki.
In saying top officials will “definitely not” ask civil servants to submit cards, Chan also called on people yesterday not to come up with conspiracy theories.
“The card is purely to say ‘thank you’ to people who support the election – without any other purpose,” Chan said.
“The government will not ask civil servants to show the thank-you card to prove they have voted, and I don’t think they will feel stressed due to the arrangement.”
He said it would be meaningless to use the cards to try to check on whether or not a civil servant had voted because the cards are all identical.
“There is no name, no identity number on the card, and people can exchange their cards as freely as they like,” Chan said, adding that the administration will not in any event push civil servants to vote.
But Chan did say civil servants should vote to exercise their civic rights as Hong Kong citizens and to support official policies.
And there would not be any punishment nor an impact on promotion prospects if civil servants do not vote.
Chan was responding to Leung Chau-ting, chairman of the Federation of Civil Service Unions, saying on radio earlier yesterday that the thank-you cards were causing worries for civil servants as they feared they would have to submit them as proof of casting a ballot.
“Some are worrying that if they don’t have time to vote and don’t get the thank-you card they will be treated differently or even face punishment,” Leung said.
He added that the administration has been calling on civil servants to vote recently, which stressed out some union members.
Also in an attempt to ease worries, the Civil Service Bureau said the card is strictly a gesture to thank voters.
The bureau added that government workers are not required to make any form of declaration or report after the elections.
In any event, authorities cannot monitor whether civil servants vote or not. “The arrangement is purely to share the joy with citizens and raise their attention and awareness about the election after the electoral reform,” it stated.
But a bureau notice also said civil servants have a responsibility to support and implement policies and lead by example to vote.
Legislative Council president Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen said voting in the reformed district council election is an essential part of the city’s democratic process.
Speaking after a legislative meeting yesterday, Leung said the election is “of great significance” as this is the first one after the bill to revamp district councils was passed in July.
“I hope the new district council members can share the duty to work for people and thus reduce the number of complaints the legislature receives from the public,” Leung added.
He encouraged all staff in the Legislative secretariat and in lawmakers’ offices to vote.
Meanwhile, a total of 12,976 people had registered to vote at four near-boundary polling stations in Sheung Shui by online registration that ended on Tuesday.
Additionally, around 4,000 free tickets to the Build a Better Community gala at the West Kowloon Cultural District on Saturday were distributed yesterday afternoon.
And tickets were gone in 20 minutes at the Wan Chai Home Affairs office, another of the distribution points.
The gala is part of the District Council Election Fun Day, which aims at raising voting awareness and drawing people’s attention toward the elections, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu has said.
A drone performance and free museum visits will also be on offer.
ayra.wang@singtaonewscorp.com
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