Kowloon East (1998 constituency)

The Kowloon East geographical constituency was one of the five geographical constituencies in the Legislative Council of Hong Kong from 1998 to 2021. It was established in 1998 for the first SAR Legislative Council election and was abolished under the 2021 overhaul of the Hong Kong electoral system. In the 2016 Legislative Council election, it elected five members of the Legislative Council using the Hare quota of party-list proportional representation. The constituency corresponded to the today's districts of Wong Tai Sin and Kwun Tong.

Kowloon East
Former Geographical constituency
for the Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Outline map
Boundary of Kowloon East in Hong Kong
DistrictWong Tai Sin District
Kwun Tong District
RegionKowloon
Population1,120,800 (2020)[1]
Electorate709,237 (2020)[2]
Former constituency
Created1998
Abolished2021
Number of membersThree (1998–2000)
Four (2000–2004; 2008–2012)
Five (2004–2008; 2012–2021)
Created fromKowloon South-east,
Kowloon East (1995),
Kowloon North-east
Replaced byKowloon Central (2021)
Kowloon East (2021)

History

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The single-constituency single-vote system was replaced by the proportional representation system for the first SAR Legislative Council election designed by Beijing to reward the weaker pro-Beijing candidates and dilute the electoral strength of the majority pro-democrats.[3] Three seats were allocated to Kowloon East, with the Democratic Party taking two seats, represented by Szeto Wah and Fred Li and the pro-Beijing Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong (DAB) taking one seat, represented by Chan Yuen-han.

In the 2000 Legislative Council election, one more seat were allocated to Kowloon East. The DAB ticket was able to win two seats with Chan Yuen-han's popularity carried Chan Kam-lam through, with the popular votes even exceeding the Democratic ticket. One more seat was added in the 2004 election, where former pro-democracy radio host Albert Cheng swept the votes with nearly a quarter of the vote share, while pro-democracy barrister Alan Leong also won a seat, replacing Szeto Wah who was retiring.

The constituency was reduced to four seats due to the reapportionment in the 2008 Legislative Council election. With Albert Cheng stepping down from the office, the seats were divided by Chan Kam-lam of the DAB , Wong Kwok-kin of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (FTU) who was succeeding Chan Yuen-han, Fredi Li of the Democratic Party and Alan Leong of the Civic Party. Leong resigned from the legislature to launch the "Five Constituencies Referendum" in 2010 to pressure the government over the 2012 constitutional reform proposal, but was re-elected with a low turnout due to the government and pro-Beijing boycott.[4]

Kowloon East was given back five seats in the 2012 Legislative Council election, with an extra seat being fought for between pro-Beijing independent Paul Tse and two radical democrats, Andrew To of the League of Social Democrats (LSD) and Wong Yeung-tat of the People Power. Tse eventually took the last seat with a thin margin due to the pro-democracy infighting, making the pro-Beijing camp winning the majority of the seats for the first time. The balance of power remained unchanged in the 2016 election, with Wu Chi-wai taking the torch from Fred Li one term earlier, and Wilson Or and Jeremy Tam succeeding Chan Kam-lam and Alan Leong respectively.

Returned members

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The following lists the members since the creation of the Kowloon East constituency. The number of seats allocated to Kowloon East varied between three and five between 1998 and 2016 due to reapportionment.

LegCo members for Kowloon East, 1998–2021
Term Election Member Member Member Member Member
1st 1998 Szeto Wah
(DP)
Chan Yuen-han
(DABFTU)
Fred Li
(DP)
2nd 2000 Chan Kam-lam
(DAB)
3rd 2004 Albert Cheng
(Ind)
Alan Leong
(A45CP)
4th 2008 Seat
abolished
Wong Kwok-kin
(FTU)
Vacant
2010 (b) Alan Leong
(A45CP)
5th 2012 Paul Tse
(Ind)
Wu Chi-wai
(DP)
6th 2016 Wilson Or
(DAB)
Jeremy Tam
(CP)
Vacant Vacant

Summary of seats won

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Term Election Distribution
1st 1998
2 1
2nd 2000
2 2
3rd 2004
3 2
4th 2008
2 2
5th 2012
2 3
6th 2016
2 3
1998 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016
Democratic 2 2 1 1 1 1
DAB 1 2 1 1 1 1
FTU 1 1 1 1
Civic 1 1 1
Independent 2 1 1
Pro-democracy 2 2 3 2 2 2
Pro-Beijing 1 2 2 2 3 3
Seats 3 4 5 4 5 5

Vote share summary

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1998 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016
Democratic 55.8 45.3 19.2 27.3 15.4 15.3
DAB 41.8 47.4 18.8 22.6 16.7 15.7
FTU 17.9 21.3 14.3 14.4
Civic 16.6 14.6 13.8
LSD 12.1 9.6
People Power 12.9 9.7
Civic Passion 10.1
KEC 3.9
Independent and Others 2.4 7.4 44.1 16.6 17.2
Pro-democracy 55.8 45.3 63.3 56.0 55.5 54.8
Pro-Beijing 41.8 47.4 36.7 43.9 44.5 45.2

Election results

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The largest remainder method (with Hare quota) of the proportional representative electoral system was introduced in 1998, replacing the single-member constituencies of the 1995 election. Elected candidates are shown in bold. Brackets indicate the quota + remainder.

2010s

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1 1 1 1 1

Vote share

  DAB (15.66%)
  Democratic (15.29%)
  FTU (14.38%)
  Civic (13.80%)
  Civic Passion (10.11%)
  People Power (9.67%)
  KEC (3.91%)
  Frontier (0.79%)
  VLHK (0.74%)
  Other (15.65%)
2016 Legislative Council election: Kowloon East
List Candidates Votes Of total (%) ± from prev.
Quota 65,799 20.00
DAB Wilson Or Chong-shing
Joe Lai Wing-ho, Jack Cheung Ki-tang
51,516 15.66 –0.99
Democratic Wu Chi-wai
Mok Kin-shing, Cheng Keng-ieong, Wu Chi-kin
50,309 15.29 –0.08
Nonpartisan Paul Tse Wai-chun 47,527 14.45 +0.91
FTU Wong Kwok-kin
Chow Luen-kiu, Kan Ming-tung, Kwok Wang-hing
47,318 14.38 +0.04
Civic Jeremy Jansen Tam Man-ho
Alan Leong Kah-kit
45,408 13.80 –0.83
Civic Passion Wong Yeung-tat 33,271 10.11 N/A
People Power Tam Tak-chi 31,815 9.67 –3.18
KEC Chan Chak-to 12,854 3.91 N/A
Frontier Tam Heung-man 2,603 0.79 –1.17
Labour Wu Sui-shan, Chiu Shi-shun 2,535 0.77 N/A
VLHK Patrick Ko Tat-pun 2,444 0.74 N/A
Nonpartisan Lui Wing-kei 1,393 0.42 N/A
Total valid votes 328,993 100.00
Rejected ballots 7,754
Turnout 336,738 55.98 +4.01
Registered electors 601,566
 
1 1 1 1 1

Vote share

  DAB (16.65%)
  Democratic (15.37%)
  Civic (14.63%)
  FTU (14.34%)
  People Power (12.85%)
  LSD (9.57%)
  Other (16.59%)
2012 Legislative Council election: Kowloon East
List Candidates Votes Of total (%) ± from prev.
Quota 56,957 20.00
DAB Chan Kam-lam
Joe Lai Wing-ho, Hung Kam-in, Wilson Or Chong-shing
47,415 16.65 −5.95
Democratic Wu Chi-wai
Mok Kin-shing, Hon Ka-ming
43,764 15.37 −5.03
Civic Alan Leong Kah-kit
Jeremy Jansen Tam Man-ho
41,669 14.63 −1.97
FTU Wong Kwok-kin
Kan Ming-tung, Mok Kin-wing, Ho Kai-ming
40,824 14.34 −6.96
Independent Paul Tse Wai-chun 38,546 13.54 N/A
People Power Wong Yeung-tat, Chan Sau-wai 36,608 12.85 N/A
LSD Andrew To Kwan-hang 27,253 9.57 −2.68
Independent Tam Heung-man 5,440 1.91 N/A
Nonpartisan Kay Yim Fung-chi, Chan Heung-yin 3,263 1.15 N/A
Total valid votes 284,782 100.00
Rejected ballots 5,979
Turnout 290,761 51.97 +9.12
Registered electors 559,528
2010 Kowloon East by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Civic Alan Leong Kah-kit 82,066 92.53
Tertiary 2012 Lai King-fai 6,630 7.47
Majority 75,436 85.05
Total valid votes 88,696 100.00
Rejected ballots 2,530
Turnout 91,226 16.79
Registered electors 543,253
Civic hold Swing

2000s

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1 1 1 1

Vote share

  Democratic (27.3%)
  DAB (22.6%)
  FTU (21.3%)
  Civic (16.6%)
  LSD (12.2%)
2008 Legislative Council election: Kowloon East[6]
List Candidates Votes Of total (%) ± from prev.
Quota 59,061 25.00
DAB Chan Kam-lam
Joe Lai Wing-ho, Maggie Chan Man-ki, Hung Kam-in
53,472 22.63 +3.82
FTU Wong Kwok-kin
Chan Yuen-han, Peter Wong Kit-hin, Kan Ming-tung
50,320 21.30 +3.42
Democratic Fred Li Wah-ming
Kai Ming-wah, Wong Kai-ming, Wong Wai-tag
48,124 20.37 +1.16
Civic Alan Leong Kah-kit
Yu Kwun-wai, Wong Hok-ming
39,274 16.62 −2.49
LSD Andrew To Kwan-hang 28,690 12.14 −12.79
Democratic Wu Chi-wai 16,365 6.93 N/A
Total valid votes 236,245 100.00
Rejected ballots 1,691
Turnout 237,936 44.01 −12.45
Registered electors 540,649
 
1 2 1 1

Vote share

  Democratic (19.2%)
  DAB (18.8%)
  FTU (17.9%)
  Other (44.1%)
2004 Legislative Council election: Kowloon East[7]
List Candidates Votes Of total (%) ± from prev.
Quota 58,797 20.00
Nonpartisan (Frontier) Albert Cheng Jing-han
Andrew To Kwan-hang
73,279 24.93
(20.00+4.93)
N/A
Democratic Fred Li Wah-ming
Wu Chi-wai, Ho Wai-to
56,462 19.21 −26.09
Independent Alan Leong Kah-kit 56,175 19.11 N/A
DAB (FTU) Chan Kam-lam
Choi Chun-wa, Chan Tak-ming
55,306 18.81 N/A
FTU (DAB) Chan Yuen-han
Lam Man-fai, Tang Ka-piu
52,564 17.88 N/A
Total valid votes 293,986 100.00
Rejected ballots 2,384
Turnout 296,370 56.46 +11.74
Registered electors 524,896
2 2

Vote share

  DAB (47.4%)
  Democratic (45.3%)
  Other (7.3%)
2000 Legislative Council election: Kowloon East[8]
List Candidates Votes Of total (%) ± from prev.
Quota 57,320 25.00
DAB Chan Yuen-han, Chan Kam-lam
Lam Man-fai, Angelis Chan Joy-kong
108,587 47.36
(25+22.36)
+5.62
Democratic Szeto Wah, Fred Li Wah-ming
Wu Chi-wai, Andrew To Kwan-hang
103,863 45.30
(25+20.30)
−10.50
Nonpartisan Lam Hoi-shing 9,805 4.28 N/A
Nonpartisan Shi Kai-biu, Lam Wai-yin 7,023 3.06 N/A
Total valid votes 229,278 100.00
Rejected ballots 2,384
Turnout 296,370 44.72 –9.69
Registered electors 518,035

1990s

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2 1

Vote share

  Democratic (55.8%)
  DAB (41.8%)
  Other (2.4%)
1998 Legislative Council election: Kowloon East[9]
List Candidates Votes Of total (%) ± from prev.
Quota 87,207 33.33
Democratic Szeto Wah, Fred Li Wah-ming
Mak Hoi-wah
145,986 55.80
(33.33+22.47)
DAB Chan Yuen-han
Kwok Bit-chun, Lam Man-fai
109,296 41.78
(33.33+8.45)
Nonpartisan Fok Pui-yee 6,339 2.42
Total valid votes 261,621 100.00
Rejected ballots 1,679
Turnout 263,300 54.41
Registered electors 483,875

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Number of Seats for the Geographical Constituencies" (PDF). Electoral Affairs Commission.
  2. ^ "Voter Registration Statistics: Geographical Constituency". Registration and Electoral Office.
  3. ^ Diamond, Larry; Myers, Ramon H. (2001). Elections and Democracy in Greater China. OUP Oxford. pp. 1985–6.
  4. ^ "2010 LegCo By-election". Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  5. ^ "2010 LegCo By-election". Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  6. ^ "2008 Legislative Election". Electoral Affairs Commission. 8 September 2008. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  7. ^ "2004 Legislative Election". Electoral Affairs Commission. 15 December 2004. Retrieved 9 March 2012.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ "立法會選舉結果". Archived from the original on 2 May 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2012.
  9. ^ "Legco election overall result". Electoral Affairs Commission.