### District Councils Ordinance 《區議會條例》

26. When the office of a member returned at election becomes vacant
(Amended 19 of 2023 s. 27)The office of a member returned at an election becomes vacant if— (Amended 19 of 2023 s. 27)
(a) the member dies; or
(b) the member resigns in accordance with section 25 or is taken to have resigned under section 17C or 23(3); or (Amended 19 of 2023 s. 27)
(c) the member is disqualified under section 26A from holding office as a member; or (Amended 19 of 2023 s. 27)
(d) subject to sections 58A and 60(1A), the Court determines under section 55 that the member was not duly elected and that no other person was duly elected instead; or (Amended 18 of 2011 s. 13)
(e) (if an appeal against a determination referred to in paragraph (d) is lodged to the Court of Final Appeal)—
(i) the Court of Final Appeal determines under section 58B that the member was not duly elected and that no other person was duly elected instead; or
(ii) the appeal proceedings are terminated in other circumstances. (Added 18 of 2011 s. 13)

### District Councils Ordinance 《區議會條例》

27. Chief Executive to specify dates for holding ordinary elections
(1) The first ordinary election must be held in 1999.
(2) An ordinary election must be held in each subsequent fourth year after the first ordinary election is held under subsection (1).
(3) The Chief Executive must determine a date for holding an ordinary election under this section and give notice of that date in the Gazette.
(4) The date specified in the notice must be not earlier than 60 days and not later than 15 days before the new term of office of the District Councils is to begin. (Amended 19 of 2023 s. 29)
(5) The Chief Executive may specify different dates for holding an ordinary election to return each of the following classes of members—
(a) the members to be returned for each District Committees constituency; and
(b) the members to be returned for all District Council geographical constituencies. (Added 19 of 2023 s. 29)

28. Suspension of operation of District Councils to enable ordinary election to be held
(1) After the Chief Executive determines a date for holding an ordinary election and gives notice under section 27(3), the Designated Officer may, to facilitate the holding of such election, determine a date with effect from which the operation of the District Councils is to be suspended until the commencement of the term of office of the members elected at that ordinary election.
(2) The Designated Officer must give notice in the Gazette of the date determined by that Officer under subsection (1).
(3) Subject to subsection (4), the operation of all District Councils and their committees stand suspended with effect from the date determined by the Designated Officer under subsection (1).
(4) If the Designated Officer is of the opinion that circumstances so warrant, that Officer may permit or request a District Council or a committee to hold one or more meetings during the period of suspension.
(5) Nothing in this section is to be construed as affecting the term of office of a person who is a member of a District Council when the operation of that District Council is suspended under this section.

### District Councils Ordinance 《區議會條例》

29. Who is entitled to vote at an election
(1) Only an elector for a District Committees constituency is entitled to vote at an election for the constituency, and the elector is entitled to vote only once in respect of the constituency at the election. (Replaced 19 of 2023 s. 30)
(1A) Only an elector for a District Council geographical constituency is entitled to vote at an election for the constituency, and the elector is entitled to vote only once in respect of the constituency at the election. (Added 19 of 2023 s. 30)
(2)-(5) (Repealed 19 of 2023 s. 30)(6) An elector may not be prevented from voting at an election only because the elector’s name should not have been included in the existing GC register. (Amended 19 of 2023 s. 30)
(7) Subsection (6) does not— (Amended 19 of 2023 s. 30)
(a) preclude the Court from making a determination under section 55; (Amended 18 of 2011 s. 14)
(aa) preclude the Court of Final Appeal from making a determination under section 58B; or (Added 18 of 2011 s. 14)
(b) affect the person’s liability to be charged with, and convicted of, an offence relating to voting at the election concerned.

30. When an elector is disqualified from voting at an election
(1) An elector is disqualified from voting at an election if the elector— (Amended 19 of 2023 s. 31)
(a) has ceased to be eligible to be registered as an elector under the Legislative Council Ordinance (Cap. 542); or
(b)-(d) (Repealed 7 of 2009 s. 9)(e) is found under the Mental Health Ordinance (Cap. 136) to be incapable, by reason of mental incapacity, of managing and administering his or her property and affairs; or (Amended 33 of 2002 s. 9)
(f) is a member of the armed forces of the Central People’s Government or any other country or territory.
(2) An elector of a District Committees constituency is also disqualified from voting at an election for the constituency if the elector has ceased to be a member of a District Committee in the District concerned. (Added 19 of 2023 s. 31)