Hong Kong legislative polls close amid lower voter turnout

By ZEN SOO
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — About a third of voters in Hong Kong cast their ballots in the first election since Beijing amended the laws to reduce the number of directly elected lawmakers and vet candidates to ensure that only those loyal to China can run. The semi-autonomous territory was rocked by pro-democracy protests in 2014 and 2019, but they were crushed by security forces, followed by the imposition of a sweeping national security law that silenced most of the city’s opposition. An hour before polls closed, some 29% of eligible voters had cast their ballots. Authorities warned that foreign forces may be attempting to undermine the election after overseas activists urged a boycott of the vote.