Right to Vote with ROA?

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  1. #1

    Right to Vote with ROA?

    With the Right to Abode, does one have the right to vote, even if they are living abroad (outside of HK)? If so, then is there an absentee ballot type of system as in the US or other countries? Or does one have to go to a polling station in HK during elections?


  2. #2

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    I imagine you can still vote if you are outside HK, probably the government sources will have better info like here:
    2010年立法會補選

    But whether you'd want to participate in a sham contest, that's up to you


  3. #3

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    No you can't. From Who Can Register: Eligibility of Registration

    You are eligible to be registered as an elector in a geographical constituency if:

    (a) you are a permanent resident of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region as defined by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Passports Ordinance (Cap. 539); and

    (b) you ordinarily reside in Hong Kong; and {...}

  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by PDLM:
    Hmm, what is the difference between a person who does 'ordinarily reside' as compared to a person who is 'ordinarily resident' ? If one is just visiting a place (say a Canadian on a Canadian passport visits Canada for a week of vacation), for example, is the ability to vote lost? (I know, not applicable to OP since there is a big difference between visiting a place abroad and living abroad.)

  5. #5

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    I don't think there's a clear definition. There was a case a while ago which made it clear that you didn't cease being ordinarily resident in Hong Kong if you went abroad to study, so long as you still had an address available for your use in Hong Kong and returned to it immediately after the course (and, I can't remember exactly, perhaps during long vacations).


  6. #6

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    I would just guess that they probably don't scrutinize the ordinary residence of voters as much as they would for an application of ROA.

    Since anyone that has ROA in HK is basically admitted on unlimited stay, even if they were on a planned temporary visit they can still change their mind and just not leave, which I imagine would make that person resident.

    But a lot of this is debatable.