Fewer than 2,000 of the 300,000 Canadians in Hong Kong voted in last week’s election
- Only 0.6 per cent of Canadians in Hong Kong requested mail-in ballots, a fraction of the rate among expatriates in places such as Britain and the US
- The actual voting rate is likely far lower, and lack of awareness about the election and rule changes allowing long-term non-residents to vote may be to blame
Fewer than 2,000 of the estimated 300,000 Canadians living in Hong Kong cast ballots in last week’s federal election, and the true number is likely less than half that, overseas voting data suggests.
It is a rate dwarfed by political participation among Canadians elsewhere, and indicates either little awareness or little enthusiasm in Hong Kong for changes in Canadian election rules that allow long-term non-residents to vote. In fact, the number of voting kits sent to Canadians in Hong Kong plunged by 33 per cent, compared to the 2019 election, when those changes first took effect.
Andrew Work, president of the Canadian Club of Hong Kong, ran voter registration campaigns in the city ahead of both votes.
“Registration may be lower here as most Canadians in Hong Kong consume media in [spoken] Cantonese and traditional [written] Chinese and may have been exposed to fewer media about the election,” he said.
“Some people tell us it is because they don’t feel sufficiently informed to vote in [a] responsible manner.”
