Meddling, errors marred HK poll

[dArKeR]

The Legislative Council (LegCo) elections held on Sept. 12 left a sour taste in many people's mouths. The election was undemocratic because the voters could only elect half of LegCo's 60 members by universal suffrage.

Arrangements at the polling stations were chaotic: some were forced to close temporarily, turning voters away. The Democratic Party was criticized for its over-zealousness in appealing for votes for former leader Martin Lee (???) in the Hong Kong Island constituency, resulting in the surprise defeat of another pro-democracy candidate, Cyd Ho Sau-lan (???).

In spite of the huge mobilization by Chinese authorities and their allies in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), pro-democracy candidates won 60 percent of the vote, securing 25 seats. In a genuine democracy, a group with 60 percent of the vote would form the ruling party.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2004/09/24/2003204159