1991 Hong Kong legislative election

The 1991 Hong Kong Legislative Council election was held for members of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong (LegCo). The election of the members of functional constituencies was held on 12 September 1991 and the election of geographical constituency seats was held on 15 September respectively. It was the first ever direct election of the Legislative Council in Hong Kong history. There were 18 members from directly elected geographical constituencies, 21 members from functional constituencies, 17 members appointed by the Governor, and 3 official members.

1991 Hong Kong legislative election

12 & 15 September 1991

39 (of the 60) seats to the Legislative Council
31 seats needed for a majority
Registered1,916,925 (GC)
Turnout750,467 (39.15%)
  First party Second party Third party
  Martin Lee Anthony Cheung
Leader Martin Lee Hu Fa-kuang Anthony Cheung
Party United Democrats LDF Meeting Point
Alliance Pro-democracy Conservative Pro-democracy
Leader's seat Hong Kong Island East Appointed
(before election)
Did not stand
Seats won 14 3 2
Seat change Increase12 Decrease3 Increase2
Popular vote 618,209 70,697 98,588
Percentage 45.15% 5.16% 7.20%

  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
  Chan Yat-sen Leong Che-hung Vincent Lo
Leader Chan Yat-sen Leong Che-hung Vincent Lo
Party FSHK HKDF BPF
Alliance Conservative Pro-democracy Conservative
Leader's seat Did not stand Medical Did not stand
Seats won 2 2 2
Seat change Decrease2 Decrease1 Increase1
Popular vote 30,871 19,806 N/A
Percentage 2.25% 1.45% N/A

  Seventh party Eighth party Ninth party
  Frederick Fung Lo Tak-shing
Leader Frederick Fung Lee Chark-tim Lo Tak-shing
Party ADPL FTU NHKA
Alliance Pro-democracy Pro-Beijing Pro-Beijing
Leader's seat Kowloon West Did not stand Did not stand
Seats won 1 1 1
Seat change Steady Steady Increase1
Popular vote 60,770 44,894 11,934
Percentage 4.44% 3.28% 0.87%

Elected candidates by each constituency

A coalition of the United Democrats and the Meeting Point, together with other smaller parties, groups and independents in the pro-democracy camp had a landslide victory, getting 16 of the 18 geographical constituency seats. Two-seat constituency two vote system was used with two seats to be filled in each constituency. The voting system helped the pro-democracy coalition win with landslide success and faced criticisms. In the end, the government prescribed simple plurality in the next election.

Background

After the Sino-British Joint Declaration signed in December 1984 stated the sovereignty of Hong Kong would be transferred from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, the pace of the democratisation towards a government of high autonomy towards 1997 became a major political debate. The Hong Kong government denied the demand of the pro-democracy groups of introducing direct elections in the 1988 Legislative Council elections, due to the main opposition from Beijing and the conservative business and professional elites. As a result, the electoral methods of the functional constituencies being elected by different business and professional sectors and the Electoral Colleges being elected by the District Boards and the two municipal councils (Urban Council and Regional Council) remained in the 1988 elections but it was promised by the government that direct elections would be introduced in the 1991 elections.

Overview

The Hong Kong government's assumed the two-seat constituencies would produce a mixture of liberal, rural conservative and business representatives as well as some members of the "United Front" organisations which supported by Beijing, as the voters would cast their ballots for prominent individuals rather than a "party" label.[1] However, the two-seat and two-vote system benefited the pro-democracy coalition in the end.

The election was largely affected by the events in May and June 1989 in China when the Tiananmen Square protest was bloodily cracked down by the Beijing government. The events sparked the great fear among the Hong Kong population who closely concerned or enthusiastically supported the student movement. The pro-democracy groups supported the student protests by forming the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China in May 1989. After the crackdown, the liberal leaders, Martin Lee and Szeto Wah had been labelled as "subversives" by the Beijing government and expelled form the Hong Kong Basic Law Drafting Committee. In 1990, members of the three major pro-democracy groups, the Meeting Point, the Hong Kong Affairs Society and the Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood came together under the banner of the United Democrats of Hong Kong, which self-proclaimed as the first political party in Hong Kong.

The pro-democracy liberals won a landslide in the geographical constituency direct elections. The United Democrats led by Martin Lee became the largest party, by winning 12 of the 18 seats in the geographical constituencies. Two other seats went to its ally Meeting Point headed by Anthony Cheung. Frederick Fung, Chairman of the ADPL won a seat in Kowloon West. Of the remaining seats, one went to a liberal independent Emily Lau, one to an independent incumbent Andrew Wong and the other to an incumbent rural conservative Tai Chin-wah.[1]

The conservative Liberal Democratic Federation of Hong Kong, newly founded in 1990 mainly by business and professional groups favouring collaboration with Beijing, polled only 5.1% of the vote. None of its candidates were elected in the direct elections. The pro-Beijing "united front" organisations received only 7.9% of the vote and were also very easily defeated. Chan Yuen-han, the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) candidate in Kowloon Central polled about 11,000 votes fewer than the second place United Democrat, Dr. Conrad Lam and was about 23,000 votes behind the winner, United Democrat Lau Chin-shek. In Island East, Cheng Kai-nam who had the support of a pro-Beijing group, Hong Kong Citizen Forum, polled 29,902 against the United Democrats' leader Martin Lee, who received 76,831 votes.[1]

The advantage of the liberals was balanced with the functional constituency indirectly elected by the limited electorates of the business and professional sectors as well as the appointed members by the government. the Chief Secretary Sir David Ford said on television that the elections should be seen in the context of a 50% registration rate, of whom perhaps only 50% might turn out at the polls therefore the majority who were not represented would be reserved by appointing members who might be thought to represent those who had not registered or had not voted.[1]

General results

Overall Summary of the 12 & 15 September 1991 Legislative Council of Hong Kong election results
Political affiliation Geographical constituencies Functional constituencies Total
seats
Votes % Candidates Seats Votes % Candidates Seats
United Democrats of Hong Kong 618,209 45.15 14 12 15,208 66.46 3 2 14
Meeting Point 98,588 7.20 3 2 2
Hong Kong Democratic Foundation 19,806 1.45 1 0 487 2.13 2 2 2
Hong Kong Association for Democracy and People's Livelihood 60,770 4.44 3 1 1
Independents and others 46,515 3.40 1 1 1
Total for Liberals 843,888 61.63 22 16 15,695 68.59 5 4 20
Liberal Democratic Federation of Hong Kong 69,832 5.10 5 0 1,118 4.89 5 3 3
Business and Professionals Federation of Hong Kong 968 4.23 3 2 2
Federation for the Stability of Hong Kong 30,871 2.25 1 1 10 0.04 2 1 2
Total for Conservatives 100,703 7.35 6 1 2,096 9.16 10 6 7
Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions 44,894 3.28 1 0 1 1 1
New Hong Kong Alliance 11,934 0.87 2 0 136 0.59 2 1 1
Hong Kong Citizen Forum 29,902 2.18 1 0 0
Kwun Tong Man Chung Friendship Promotion Association 21,225 1.55 1 0 0
Total for pro-Beijing 107,955 7.88 5 0 136 0.59 3 2 2
Hong Kong and Kowloon Trades Union Council 3,393 0.25 1 0 1 1 1
Hong Kong Civic Association 14,145 1.03 1 0 0
Reform Club of Hong Kong 8,257 0.60 1 0 0
October Review 3,431 0.25 1 0 0
Independents and others 287,561 21.00 17 1 4,957 21.66 21 8 9
Total (turnout 39.15%) 1,369,333 100.00 54 18 22,884 100.00 40 21 39

Note: There were also 18 members appointed by the Governor and 3 Ex-Officio members.

Votes summary

Popular vote
UD
45.15%
Meeting Point
7.20%
LDF
5.16%
ADPL
4.44%
FTU
3.28%
FSHK
2.25%
PHKS
2.20%
CF
2.18%
KCMCFPA
1.55%
DF
1.45%
Civic
1.03%
NHKA
0.87%
Reform
0.60%
TUC
0.25%
OR
0.25%
Independent
24.40%

Seats summary

Seats
UD
35.90%
LDF
7.69%
Meeting Point
5.13%
FSHK
5.13%
DF
5.13%
BPF
5.13%
ADPL
2.64%
FTU
2.64%
NHKA
2.64%
TUC
2.64%
Independent
20.51%

Result breakdown

Geographical Constituencies

Constituency Candidates Affiliation Votes  %
Hong Kong Island East Martin Lee Chu-ming United Democrats 76,831 74.6
Man Sai-cheong United Democrats 43,615 42.3
Cheng Kai-nam Citizen Forum 29,902 29.0
Chan Ying-lun HKDF 19,806 19.2
Diana Leung Wai-tung Independent 15,230 14.8
Jennifer Chow Kit-bing Independent 5,805 5.6
Hong Kong Island West Yeung Sum United Democrats 45,108 65.4
Huang Chen-ya United Democrats 31,052 45.0
David Chan Yuk-cheung Independent 29,413 42.6
Alexander Chang Yau-hung LDF 12,145 17.6
Ronnie Wong Man-chiu NHKA 6,113 8.9
Winnie Cheung Wai-sun NHKA 5,821 8.4
Kowloon East Szeto Wah United Democrats 57,921 70.3
Li Wah-ming Meeting Point 49,643 60.2
Hau Shui-pui KTMCA 21,225 25.8
Poon Chi-fai Independent 16,625 20.2
Chan Cheong October Review 3,431 4.2
Li Ting-kit TUC 3,393 4.1
Philip Li Koi-hop Nonpartisan (LDF) 865 1.0
Kowloon Central Lau Chin-shek United Democrats 68,489 62.2
Conrad Lam Kui-shing United Democrats 56,084 51.0
Chan Yuen-han FTU 44,894 40.8
Peter Chan Chi-kwan Civic 14,145 12.9
Cecilia Yeung Lai-yin Reform 8,257 7.5
John Dragon Young Independent (HKAS/UDHK) 6,273 5.7
Justin Cheung Chung-ming Independent 2,158 2.0
Kowloon West Frederick Fung Kin-kee ADPL 36,508 52.5
James To Kun-sun United Democrats 26,352 37.9
Desmond Lee Yu-tai Independent (HKCA/UDHK) 21,471 30.9
Kingsley Sit Ho-yin Independent 18,634 26.8
Law Cheung-kwok ADPL 17,145 24.7
Ng Kin-sun LDF 6,098 8.8
New Territories East Emily Lau Wai-hing Independent 46,515 48.1
Andrew Wong Wang-fat Independent 39,806 41.2
Tony Kan Chung-nin Independent 37,126 38.4
Lau Kong-wah United Democrats 26,659 27.6
Johnston Wong Hong-chung United Democrats 26,156 27.1
Choi Man-hing Independent 348 0.4
Eric Leung Ka-ching Independent 306 0.3
New Territories South Lee Wing-tat United Democrats 52,192 56.9
Albert Chan Wai-yip United Democrats 42,164 45.9
Leung Yiu-chung Independent (NWSC) 38,568 42.0
Yeung Fuk-kwong Independent (PHKS) 30,095 32.8
New Territories West Ng Ming-yum United Democrats 42,319 51.9
Tai Chin-wah FSHK 30,871 37.9
Zachary Wong Wai-yin Meeting Point 27,243 33.4
Tang Siu-tong Independent 23,389 28.7
Tso Shiu-wai LDF 20,018 24.6
New Territories North Fung Chi-wood United Democrats 23,267 49.9
Tik Chi-yuen Meeting Point 21,702 46.5
Cheung Hon-chung LDF 16,221 34.8
Johnny Wong Chi-keung LDF 15,350 32.9
Ronald Chow Mei-tak ADPL 7,117 15.3
Tong Wai-man Independent 1,449 3.1

Functional Constituencies

Constituency Candidates Affiliation Votes  %
First Commercial James David McGregor HKDF 487 53.9
Paul Cheng Ming-fun BPF 416 46.1
Second Commercial Philip Wong Yu-hong NHKA Uncontested
First Industrial Stephen Cheong Kam-chuen BPF Uncontested
Second Industrial Ngai Shiu-kit LDF 216 56.5
Szeto Fai Independent 166 43.5
Engineering Samuel Wong Ping-wai Independent 1,334 89.8
Hogan Tang Ka-fat Independent 151 10.2
Architectural, Surveying
and Planning
Edward Ho Sing-tin BPF 552 53.7
Francis Lau Shiu-kwan LDF 246 23.9
Kan Fook-yee NHKA 136 13.2
Charles Nicholas Brooke Independent 94 9.1
Real Estate and Construction Ronald Joseph Arculli Independent Uncontested
Teaching Cheung Man-kwong United Democrats 15,193 89.8
Ho King-on Independent 886 5.2
Walter Wou Tchong-hong Independent 836 4.9
Tourism Howard Young LDF 338 40.7
Harold Wu Tan LDF 318 38.3
Ronnie Yuen Ka-chai Independent 175 21.1
Accountancy Peter Wong Hong-yuen LDF Uncontested
Legal Simon Ip Sik-on Independent 542 77.4
John William Miller Independent 158 22.6
Social Services Hui Yin-fat Independent Uncontested
Health Care Michael Ho Mun-ka United Democrats Uncontested
Medical Leong Che-hung HKDF Uncontested
Finance David Li Kwok-po Independent Uncontested
Financial Services Chim Pui-chung Independent 281 47.6
Alex Wong Po-hang Independent 200 33.9
Cham Yau-tong Independent 59 10.0
Peter Chan Po-fun Independent 36 6.1
Chum Ting-pong Independent 9 1.5
Wong Wun-wing Independent 5 0.8
Labour (2 seats) Pang Chun-hoi TUC Uncontested
Tam Yiu-chung FTU Uncontested
Urban Council Elsie Tu Independent Uncontested
Regional Council Gilbert Leung Kam-ho Independent 20 40.0
Chow Yick-hay United Democrats 15 30.0
Lam Wai-keung FSHK 10 20.0
Chau Chun-wing Independent 5 10.0
Rural Lau Wong-fat FSHK Uncontested

References

  1. Scott, Ian (1991). "An Overview of the Hong Kong Legislative Council Elections of 1991" (PDF). Asian Journal of Public Administration. 13 (2): 11–37. doi:10.1080/02598272.1991.10800247.

Bibliography

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