Concerns raised as Hong Kong stops compiling voter turnout data by age and sex

Hong Kong election authorities have stopped compiling voter turnout data by age and sex, citing a lack of operational need, in a move that has raised concerns about undermining the transparency of polls.
Analysts and politicians said such statistics were valuable for election hopefuls in understanding voter demographics and formulating policy suggestions, while authorities could use the data to improve governance.
The South China Morning Post asked the Registration and Electoral Office last month for voter turnout figures by age and sex from last year’s Legislative Council election under the Code on Access to Information.
Such data had been routinely disclosed to the public since at least 2008, but the office said that it no longer saw a need to compile and maintain such statistics.
The SCMP raised the matter with the Office of the Ombudsman, but it found that there were “no improprieties” in the handling of the request.
“Since every case is judged on its own merits, we consider it inappropriate to draw comparisons with previous cases,” it said, refusing to take the case further.
The turnout in last December’s election reached 31.9 per cent, with nearly 1.32 million residents casting votes. It surpassed the 30.2 per cent recorded in the 2021 poll, but remained significantly below the 58.28 per cent turnout in 2016.

Participation among young voters, in particular, has slumped since Beijing revamped the electoral system in 2021 to ensure only “patriots” could hold power.
In the Legco election held later that year, turnout among voters aged 30 and below hit a record low of 7.01 per cent, compared with 45.81 per cent for those over 60.
In the 2023 district council election, turnout stood at 7.49 per cent for those aged 30 and below and 41.22 per cent for those over 60.
By contrast, the turnout rate across all age groups exceeded 50 per cent in the 2016 Legco election and reached about 70 per cent in the 2019 district council poll, which was held amid anti-government protests sparked by an unpopular extradition bill.
Lawmaker Mark Chong Ho-fung called on the government to resume releasing the data to enhance transparency, saying that the change could damage public perception.
He said that the figures were valuable for politicians, especially those representing geographical constituencies, to better analyse voter demographics and formulate policy suggestions.
“We can better understand the age profile of our voters. For example, some districts have more elderly, while others are younger, and they have different needs,” Chong said.
“From a campaigning perspective, it is definitely helpful for us to understand the structure of voters.”
Emeritus Professor John Burns of the University of Hong Kong described the decision as regrettable, saying the release of comprehensive data was essential for electoral openness and transparency.
“We no longer have a government that pledges to be as accountable to the public as possible, as open and as transparent as possible,” he said.
The expert in public administration explained that such statistics helped to reveal voting behaviour, allowing the government to identify support across age groups.
“They need this information in order to better understand where their support lies, who their supporters are and who they need to win over, who they need to convince,” Burns said.
He added that the data would provide academics with a bigger picture of the public’s political behaviour beyond polling results.
Political observer Lau Siu-kai, a consultant to the semi-official Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macau Studies think tank, also highlighted the value of the statistics, which he said could help the administration improve its governance.
“Understanding the turnout rate by age group does not simply help boost voter turnout,” he said, noting that the government could try to change the attitudes of age groups that were more reluctant to cast ballots.
“It allows an in-depth study into the factors influencing voter behaviour, including whether people are satisfied or dissatisfied with the government and social conditions.”
He added that while academics could conduct similar research through surveys, the official statistics remained meaningful.