Editorial | Hong Kong elections should go ahead as planned
- Social unrest must not be allowed to delay or disrupt district council polls on November 24, and process has to be conducted in fair, open and safe manner
Nominations for the district council elections have begun amid escalating political tensions. With the vote on November 24 not too far away, this may well be the first time Hongkongers go to the polls in times of raging social unrest.
The government, while going ahead with the vote, has also sensibly explored contingency plans, such as reserving the following Sunday for election day as backup.
But it takes more than well-thought-out arrangements to maintain the integrity of the city’s elections. Restraint is needed from all sides to ensure the electoral process can be conducted in a fair, open and safe manner.
The government was criticised in recent years for disqualifying candidates it perceived as pushing the separatist cause, and the ongoing crisis triggered by the now-shelved extradition bill has inevitably fuelled public sentiment further.
While it is certainly a sensitive time to hold a citywide election, it remains to be seen whether the process will be marred by violence.
