(Bloomberg) — A record number of Hong Kongers cast ballots in district council elections Sunday, seizing the first opportunity to vote after months of increasingly violent protests calling for greater democracy.Pro-democracy candidates took the lead with almost half of the seats for district council, according to the South China Morning Post. RTHK says the group had won the election. More than 2.94 million people, or roughly 71% of the financial hub’s electorate, had voted, according to Barnabas Fung, chairman of election affairs committee. The previous highest turnout was 1.47 million in 2015. Residents faced unusually long lines at polling stations across the city as they came out to vote in the election.The vote unfolded peacefully despite concerns it could be delayed or disrupted by violence following unrest in the lead up. Results are expected early Monday.Key Developments:Chief Executive Carrie Lam said earlier the election would be peaceful in spite of the “extremely challenging” situationSome candidates came under attack earlier and the city was paralyzed by days of chaos in the weeks leading up to the election, with schools suspended, protesters disrupting commutes and riot police laying siege to a universityPolice dispatched at least two officers clad in riot gear to each polling booth SundayU.S. President Donald Trump said earlier in the week that he personally saved Hong Kong from being “obliterated,” sparing thousands of livesHere’s the latest (all times local):Pro-democracy candidates close gaining majority of seats (5:45 a.m.)The candidates got 201 of the 452 seats, seven times more than those won by the pro-establishment contenders, South China Morning Post reported.Pro-democracy candidates take early lead, SCMP says (2:45 a.m.)The candidates won 116 of the 452 seats, South China Morning Post reported.Head of Hong Kong’s biggest pro-Beijing party wins re-election (1:55 a.m.)Starry Lee, chairwoman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, the city’s largest pro-Beijing party, won her re-electionEarly losses include prominent lawmakers (1:45 a.m.)Junius Ho, a lawmaker who has spoken up against protesters and pro-democracy politicians, has conceded on Facebook, calling the results “abnormal.” Michael Tien, a pro-Beijing member of Hong Kong’s legislature and a deputy to China’s National People’s Congress, also announced his defeat, saying he lost because he didn’t agree to the demands of the protesters and that’s what’s on the top of the minds of young voters.Some pro-democracy candidates claim early victories (1:30 a.m.)Among these candidates are Civil Human Rights Front organizer Jimmy Sham, who was hospitalized after he was attacked by hammer-wielding thugs, and Kelvin Lam, who’s backed by activist Joshua Wong.“The high turnout rate did benefit the pro-democracy camp,” Lam said. “The result is like a referendum of the current administration, like a confidence vote.”Logistics topped complaints filed to election commission (1 a.m.)More than 6,000 complaints relating to the election were received, election affairs chief Fung said. Logistical issues including the long lines at the polling stations topped the list, he added.Why Hong Kong Is Still Protesting and Where It May Go: QuickTakeRecord Turnout in First Hong Kong Vote Since Unrest Started –With assistance from Aaron Mc Nicholas and Josie Wong.To contact the reporters on this story: Julia Fioretti in Hong Kong at [email protected];Iain Marlow in Hong Kong at [email protected];Shelly Banjo in Hong Kong at [email protected] contact the editors responsible for this story: Brendan Scott at [email protected], Linus Chua, Virginia Van NattaFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.
