Polling stations for the 2019 District Council Ordinary Election have closed with a record high in voter turnout rate and number of voters reached. 

Government data shows that as of 9:30 p.m. local time, over 2.8 million people had cast their ballots. The turnout rate was 69.04 percent, 25.42 percent more than in the last elections.

Barnabas Fung, chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission of the HKSAR, updated the press on Sunday afternoon. According to him, the polling staff are handling three times as many voters than in previous elections.

Regarding the complaints on the long queue in front of the polling stations, he thanked voters for their patience and understanding and vowed to handle with the complaints as soon as possible.

Over 610 ordinary polling stations and 23 dedicated polling stations are open.

The elections, held every four years, are in the spotlight as escalating violent protests have almost paralyzed the Asian financial hub.

Appearing in public to vote for the election, Carrie Lam, chief executive of the HKSAR said the district elections are very important and appealed to the electorate to vote to represent their interests. 

Hong Kong lawmaker and politician Junius Ho, who was stabbed earlier this month in a campaign event, also called for restoration of law and order while speaking to CGTN outside a polling station.

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Voting underway in HKSAR for district council elections

Hong Kong residents also expressed their opinion on the vote as well as the current situation in Hong Kong, hoping the election would end chaos and bring back peace and prosperity as soon as possible.

"We need to move away from current chaos in Hong Kong. We need the restoration of peace and stability. For those creating chaos, we want to chase them away so that seven million Hong Kong residents can live happy life, feel secure and protect our own home," a voter told CGTN.

Others expressed their opposition to violence, calling for more communication between the HKSAR government and residents.

Why does it matter? 

The elections will be the first in Hong Kong since mass violent protests sparked by a fugitive bill erupted in June.  

Expected to be particularly competitive, the elections will see all 452 seats contested for the first time with the number of candidates at a record high. In the last elections, in 2015, 68 seats were contested. 

Although district council members have no decision-making power over government policies, they can still help decide the makeup of a committee which will choose the chief executive. 

The 1,200-member election committee will include 117 district councilors. And in the Legislative Council, Hong Kong's lawmaking body, six members come from the district councils.

(Cover: Voters queue up outside a polling station during district council election in Hong Kong, south China, November 24, 2019. /Reuters Photo)