Guidance Notes

(1)	This application form is for registration as an elector in a geographical constituency . If you are a registered elector and you wish to report change of registration particulars, you must complete the application form "Report on Change of Particulars by an Elector in a Geographical Constituency" (REO-2) instead of this application form.
(2)	The final register of electors will be published in September in a year in which District Council Election is to be held (i.e. District Council Election year), while for a year which is not a District Council Election year, the final register of electors will be published in July. In this regard, the deadlines for eligible persons to apply for voter registration or registered electors to report on change of residential address or other personal particulars are as follows:

	District Council Election year :	2 July
	Non District Council Election year :	2 May

You may check your latest registration particulars through Online Voter Information Enquiry System (www.voterinfo.gov.hk) or calling the Registration and Electoral Office’s Enquiry Hotline (2891 1001). Electors have the responsibility to update their registration particulars with the Registration and Electoral Office as soon as possible if the particulars like residential address have changed.

(3)	The above deadlines refer to the dates on which an application reaches the Registration and Electoral Office. Applications which reach this office later than the above dates will be considered for the purpose of compiling the register of electors for the following year.
(4)	If you have not received any reply from the Registration and Electoral Office 14 days after submission of this application form, you may call the Enquiry Hotline 2891 1001 to check the progress of your application.
(5)	Generally, 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
	(c) you have reached 18 years of age or will reach 18 years of age on or before 25 September (for District Council Election year) OR 25 July (for Non District Council Election year) next following your application for registration; and
	(d) you hold an identity document, e.g. a Hong Kong permanent identity card; and
	(e) you are not subject to any disqualification from registration (Note 6).
	For enquiries on permanent resident status, please call the Immigration Department hotline: 2824 6111.
(6)	Generally, persons who are disqualified from registration include persons who:
	(a) are found under the Mental Health Ordinance (Cap. 136) to be incapable, by reason of mental incapacity, of managing and administering their property and affairs;
	(b) are members of any armed forces.
(7)	(a) You will be allocated to the Legislative Council geographical constituency and the District Council constituency to which you belong according to your residential address which should be your only or principal residence in Hong Kong, i.e. a dwelling place in Hong Kong at which you reside and which constitutes your sole or main home. The residential address will be provided to the candidates of the constituencies concerned for the purpose of sending election advertisement.
	(b) Please notify the Electoral Registration Officer by completing the application form "Report on Change of Particulars by an Elector in a Geographical Constituency" (REO-2) and attaching your address proof issued within the last three months for any subsequent change of residential address as this might entail a consequential change of the constituency to which you belong.
(8)	According to section 19 of the Electoral Affairs Commission (Registration) (Electors for Legislative Council Functional Constituencies) (Voters for Election Committee Subsectors) (Members of Election Committee) Regulation (Cap. 541B), a person applying for registration in a geographical constituency is also regarded as having applied for registration as an elector for the District Council (Second) Functional Constituency. If you choose not to be registered as an elector in the District Council (Second) Functional Constituency, you must complete the application form "Report on Change of Particulars by an Individual in a Functional Constituency and/or an Election Committee Subsector/De-registration or Non-registration for the District Council (Second) Functional Constituency" (REO-43).
(9)	Normally, election-related communications issued to electors by the Registration and Electoral Office are in both Chinese and English. This language preference is to facilitate candidates' communications with you at elections in the language of your choice. If you do not complete this part, it will be assumed that your preferred language is Chinese.
(10)	Please provide a correspondence address only if there is no postal service available for your residential address. Please do not fill in this part if you do not meet the said criterion.
(11)	These notes are for general guidance only. Applicants should also refer to the Legislative Council Ordinance (Cap. 542), the Electoral Affairs Commission Ordinance (Cap. 541) and subsidiary legislations made thereunder.
(12)	This application form must be signed by the applicant; otherwise, the Electoral Registration Officer will not process your application.
(13)	In assessing your eligibility for registration as an elector, the Electoral Registration Officer will compare and cross check your personal data given in the application form with your personal data collected by other organisations for any other purposes so as to verify if those data are true and accurate, if they are false or misleading, to base upon those data and take appropriate action against you. Upon signing the application form, you authorise the Electoral Registration Officer to approach other government department(s) or public/private organisation(s) concerned for proof of data collected and verifying the data, and you expressly agree that the relevant government departments (including but not limited to the Immigration Department, Housing Department and Home Affairs Department) or any other public/private organisation(s) (including but not limited to the Hong Kong Housing Society), can release your personal data to the Electoral Registration Officer, so that the Electoral Registration Officer can compare and cross check such data with those on the application form when processing this application and updating the voter registration and election-related records annually.
(14)	The Registration and Electoral Office will notify electors by sending written registration notices after completion of processing the application for new registration.
(15)	For enquiries on voter registration, please ring 2891 1001.