The 2007 Hong Kong Island by-election was held on 2 December 2007 and was won by Anson Chan with 54.6% of the votes cast."Elections results" , Elections.gov.hk, 2 December 2007 It was precipitated by the death of the then chairman of the Pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) Ma Lik on 8 August 2007.Gazette, 11 August 2007.
It was the second by-election in a geographical constituency to be held since the transfer of sovereignty in 1997 and the largest remainder proportional representation electoral system was adopted in 1998, coincidentally in the same constituency – Hong Kong Island.
There were eight candidates in all, all standing as independents. However, the two front-runners had respectively secured the backing of the largest political groupings, Pan-democrats and Beijing loyalists. The pro-democracy camp agreed to unite behind a single candidate, Anson Chan, former Chief Secretary for Administration, selected through a selection process; the Liberal Party and the DAB bargained behind closed doors to select Regina Ip, the former Secretary for Security who resigned following the 500,000-strong 2003 1 July protest.
Background
2000 The last by-election was held on 10 December 2000, when then DAB vice-chairman Gary Cheng declined to accept his seat as a result of a scandal. The current leader of the Civic Party, Audrey Eu, who was then running as an independent backed by the pro-democracy camp won the by-election with 52.1% of valid vote.Hong Kong Economic Journal, Page 9, 13 August 2007. Cheng was subsequently jailed for abuse of office.Sangwon Suh and Yulanda Chung "A PR Man's PR Woes", Asiaweek.com, 8 September 2000
2004
The previous election on 12 September 2004 returned six candidates to office based on a party list proportional representation system. The pro-Beijing camp returned two candidates, and pro-democracy camps three, with the remainder filled by the independent Rita Fan.
The election returned Martin Lee and Yeung Sum of the Democratic Party, Ma Lik, and Choy So Yuk of the DAB, Audrey Eu of the Civic Party, and Rita Fan to the council.
Trigger Ma Lik, who announced on 8 August 2004 that he had colon cancer, died on 8 August 2007 in Guangzhou before his term expired. According to Hong Kong laws, such vacancies have to be filled by a by-election, unless the next regular election is scheduled to be held in less than four months.
The Legislative Council Secretariat issued a gazette notice on 10 August 2007, signifying that a vacancy in the Legislative Council has arisen on 8 August.GN5239, Vacancy in membership of Legislative Council, Legislative Council of Hong Kong, 10 August 2007 Nominations would be open for two to three weeks, and there would be four to six weeks for canvassing before the election on Sunday 2 December.Info.gov.hk 08-28-2007
The pan-democrats suggested that the by-election be held with the District Council election on 18 November to save on resources. The government rejected the idea, arguing that it might confuse voters.Singtaonet 08-28-2007 There were concerns that the government wanted to lower the turnout by holding the elections on separate days in order to create a more favorable situation for pro-government candidates.Singtaonet 08-21-2007
Although Hong Kong legislative geographical constituencies are elected by proportional representation, the fact that there is only one vacancy turns it effectively into a first-past-the-post race. The winner serves the remainder of Ma's natural term of office, which would have expired on 30 September 2008.
Contenders
Kam Nai Wai of the Democratic Party declared his intention to run, whereas Regina Ip, who resigned for the infamous National Security Bill tabled during her term as the security chief in the Hong Kong Government, became the sole candidate of the pro-Beijing camp.
The Civic Party, The Frontier of the pro-democracy camp, and the pro-Beijing HKFTU decided they would not field any candidate.Singtaonet.com , Sing Tao Daily Several other contenders had been mentioned by the media.
Primaries
Results of previous elections in the Hong Kong Island constituency has fuelled the expectation of 60:40 vote split between the democrats and the loyalists. As long as the pro-democratic camp coordinated successfully to nominate a single candidate, they have a higher chance of winning. To that end, the pro-democracy camp agreed to unite behind a single candidate; the Liberal Party and the DAB bargained behind closed doors. Each party or group confirmed their candidate on or before 10 September.Singtao net 社民連軟化 泛民營造大團結 Singtao net 泛民搞初選選秀出戰各派同意協調1員硬撼葉太
The selection mechanism for the Democrat candidate consisted of primary elections which consisted of a public debate, an opinion poll and primary elections.Mingpao image reference 1. Retrieved 11-29-2007 Mingpao image reference 2. Retrieved 11-29-2007 Mingpao 初選月底舉行陳太參加. Retrieved 11-29-2007 Mingpao. 陳方安生擬定四個範疇政綱 備戰泛民初選. Retrieved 11-29-2007
On 30 September 2007, it was announced that Anson Chan had triumphed over Lo Wing-lok to be the standard-bearer for the Pan-democrats.
Official contenders
Lau Yuk Shing (柳玉成), former member of League of Social Democrats before late October, now of the Labor Party. He broke ranks with the pro-democracy camp to stand in the by-election. He uses Putonghua, because he can't speak Cantonese. Lee Wing-kin (李永健), barrister. Siu See-kong (蕭思江), solicitor Regina Ip, pro-Beijing former Secretary for Security.Apple Daily, Ming Pao articles, Hong Kong Island Legco by-election, League of Social Democrats, She declared herself "an independent".Diana Lee, Slightly sorry, Regina's now raring to go , The Standard, 28 September 2007 Stanley Tandon Lal Chiang (蔣志偉), Chairman of Lok Ma Chau-Hong Kong Freight Association Cecilia Ling Wai-wan (凌蔚雲), Director. Anson Chan, former Chief Secretary in the Hong Kong GovernmentCarrieChan, Anson Chan set to announce Legco candidacy , The Standard, 11 September 2007] Ho Loy (何來), monuments and heritage campaigner.
Anson Chan and Regina Ip are without doubt the front-runners in this election. Chan is supported by the pan-democrats, while Ip has the blessing of the pro-Beijing forces, and the pro-business Liberal Party.
Regina Ip, the former security chief in the Hong Kong Government who resigned following the 500,000-strong 2003 1 July protest, declared her intention to run on 27 September 2007. She was backed by the DAB chairman Tam Yiu Chung, Liberal Party chairman James Tien, and Ho Chung Tai of The Alliance.
Anson Chan, former Chief Secretary for Administration secured the backing of the united Democratic parties. Nevertheless, Lau Yuk Shing, former member of League of Social Democrats provoked the wrath of some democrats when he broke ranks and stood.
Issues Universal suffrage in 2012 Ip, who had previously been maintaining a "pragmatic" defense of universal suffrage for the chief executive and Legislative Council elections in 2017, said that it could be achieved by 2012 under her proposal unveiled her platform on 23 October. She emphasised her fallback plan was to delay universal Legco polls to 2016 at the latest, and 2017 for the chief executive election. Chan declared Ip's new proposal on the chief executive election a step backwards, saying it would make it harder for potential candidates.Diana Lee, Ip eyes 2012 as target for major election changes , The Standard, 24 October 2007
Chan went against her core group of advisors, who had proposed in March that a delay in universal suffrage until 2016 and 2017 was acceptable, and declared that she was advocating full universal suffrage by 2012 to distinguish her from Ip's stance.Carrie Chan, "Chan changes suffrage stance in challenge to Ip" , The Standard, 30 October 2007
However, a local delegate to the National People's Congress, joined the fray on 4 November by saying that it was within the powers of the Central government to decide on a timetable for universal suffrage in the chief executive and the Legislative Council elections. "If Hong Kong people want universal suffrage earlier, they should show more respect for the powers of the central government" said the former lawmaker Maria Tam Wai-chu.Diana Lee, Public urged to respect Beijing role in vote, The Standard, 5 November 2007
Debate
8 November hustings The eight candidates partook in a debate at University of Hong Kong's Loke Yew Hall on 8 November 2007. It was apparent that 500South China Morning Post, "Ip and Chan go head to head in rough-and-tumble debate.", South China Morning Post. Retrieved 9 November 2007. members of the audience were mainly interested in the two front-runners.Winnie Chong, "Putonghua test for by-election eight" , The Standard, 9 November 2007 One of the key questions directed at Ip, asked whether she would be as uncompromising in fighting for universal suffrage by 2012 in Hong Kong as the hardline attitude she took in promoting Article 23. Ip contested the assertion that the 500,000 demonstrators took to the streets because of Article 23 legislation alone. "The 500,000 protesters took to the streets for many issues," she said. The remarks caused a stir in the crowd.
25 November 2007 On 25 November, Ip and Chan openly traded insults and explicitly targeted each other's weakest points during the forum. Chan attacked Ip's pivotal role in the Article 23 bill as proof she was not a genuine supporter of democracy. Chan derided Ip for saying Hitler killed 7 million people after coming to power through democracy, and then saying she was fighting for universal suffrage. Chan further attacked Ip's proposal for pre-selecting the Chief Executive nominees as "a step back for democracy". Ip responded that she supports the 2012 universal suffrage since she studied in the United States, and accused Chan of being "a radical".South China Morning Post, "The gloves come off in second TV poll debate.", South China Morning Post. Retrieved 28 November 2007. Chan said "The people will know very clearly who is a fake democrat and who genuinely supports real democracy."
Ip then accused Chan of stirring up confrontation when Chan asked whether her apology over Article 23 was sincere or just a strategy. Questioned on the reintroduction of Article 23, Ip said the Government should obtain public consensus.
Opinion polls