A total of 154 nomination forms had been received as of 5 p.m. local time Friday, the last day of nominations for the seventh-term Legislative Council (LegCo) election in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The Registration and Electoral Office (REO) of the HKSAR said the geographical constituencies and the functional constituencies received 35 and 68 forms respectively during the nomination period that began on October 30, while the Election Committee constituency received 51.

Returning officers will determine the order of names of candidates to appear on ballot papers and the allocation of the designated spots for displaying election advertisements by drawing of lots at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on November 18, the REO said in a press release.

The Candidate Eligibility Review Committee will publish a notice of validly nominated candidates for each constituency in the Gazette within 14 days of the close of nominations. If there is a contested election for a geographical constituency, a functional constituency, or the Election Committee constituency, a poll will be held on December 19, according to the REO.

The LegCo election will be held on December 19, the first since improvements to the HKSAR electoral system earlier this year.

A total of 90 members, including 20 from geographical constituencies, 30 from functional constituencies and 40 from the Election Committee constituency, will be returned.

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover: Logo at the Legislative Council building in HKSAR, China, March 29, 2021. /CFP)