### meaning assigned to it by section 11(1) of the Schedule to the Chief Executive Election Ordinance (Cap. 569) 《行政長官選舉條例》

70. Supervision of counting station and separate counting zones
(1) The Chief Returning Officer (Subsectors) is to supervise the central counting station. In a central counting station, the respective Returning Officers for the subsectors are to be in charge of the counting zone for the relevant subsector.
(2) A counting station that is not a central counting station and is designated for the counting of the votes for a subsector election, is to be supervised by the Returning Officer for the subsector.
(3) The Chief Returning Officer (Subsectors) and the Returning Officer are to be assisted by one or more Assistant Returning Officers.

71. Delivered ballot boxes and ballot paper accounts to be given into charge of relevant Returning Officer
(1) After delivery to a central counting station—
(a) the ballot boxes and ballot paper accounts from a polling station are to be given into the charge of the Returning Officer specified for the purpose by the Chief Electoral Officer; and
(b) the sealed packets under section 61 are to be given into the charge of the Chief Returning Officer (Subsectors).
(2) If the Chief Returning Officer (Subsectors) considers that the arrangements described in subsection (1) are not practicable, that Officer may modify them.
(3) The ballot boxes, the ballot paper accounts and the sealed packets under section 61 delivered to a counting station that is not a central counting station are to be given into the charge of the Returning Officer who supervises the counting station.

72. Returning Officer to open ballot box
(1) A Returning Officer into whose charge a ballot box is given must, at the counting zone of which that Officer is in charge, open it by breaking the seal. That Officer must do so in the presence of the candidates, their election agents or counting agents, if present at the counting zone.
(2) The Returning Officer must permit a candidate, or the election agent or counting agent of a candidate, to inspect any paper taken from the ballot box, if so requested by the candidate or agent before the paper is disposed of. A candidate or an election agent or a counting agent must not be permitted under this subsection to inspect a ballot paper.

### meaning assigned to it by section 11(1) of the Schedule to the Chief Executive Election Ordinance (Cap. 569) 《行政長官選舉條例》

75. Votes to be counted in accordance with counting system in Schedule to Chief Executive Election Ordinance
The votes recorded on the ballot papers are to be counted in accordance with the counting system described in section 29 of the Schedule to the Chief Executive Election Ordinance (Cap. 569), whether with or without the use of a computer.

76. Result of counting of votes and re-count
(1) After the votes for a subsector election have been counted under section 73 or 74, the Returning Officer must make known to the candidates who are present at the counting zone, the result of the counting of votes. If the candidates are not present the Returning Officer is to make known the result to the respective election agents or counting agents of the candidates, if those agents are present at the counting zone.
(2) A candidate who is present when the votes are counted or re-counted or an election agent so present may request the Returning Officer to count again the counted votes or re-counted votes, as the case may be. That Officer must comply with the request unless the Officer is of the opinion that the request is unreasonable.
(3) After a counting of votes or re-count is completed, nothing further is to be done until each candidate present at the completion, or the election agent of each candidate (but not both) if present at the completion of the counting or re-count, is given a reasonable opportunity to make a request for a re-count.

### meaning assigned to it by section 11(1) of the Schedule to the Chief Executive Election Ordinance (Cap. 569) 《行政長官選舉條例》

78. Returning Officer to make decisions on questionable ballot papers
(1)-(2) (Repealed L.N. 114 of 2006)(3) If a ballot paper is forwarded to the Returning Officer under section 74A(a), a candidate, an election agent or a counting agent, if present at the counting of votes, may—
(a) inspect the ballot paper; and
(b) make representations to the Returning Officer concerning the ballot paper. (L.N. 114 of 2006)
(4) After considering the representations, the Returning Officer must make a decision as to whether the vote recorded on the ballot paper is not to be counted under section 77 or is to be counted.
(5) If the Returning Officer decides the vote recorded on a ballot paper is not to be counted, that Officer must endorse the words “不獲接納” and “rejected” on the front of the ballot paper. If a candidate, an election agent or a counting agent objects to the Returning Officer’s decision, that Officer must also add the words “反對此選票不獲接納” and “rejection objected to”. (L.N. 114 of 2006)
(6) If a candidate, an election agent or a counting agent objects to the decision of the Returning Officer to count the vote recorded on a ballot paper, that Officer must endorse the words “反對此選票獲接納” and “acceptance objected to” on that ballot paper. (L.N. 114 of 2006)
(7) (Repealed 1 of 2019 s. 56)

### meaning assigned to it by section 11(1) of the Schedule to the Chief Executive Election Ordinance (Cap. 569) 《行政長官選舉條例》

78A. Returning Officer to prepare ballot paper statement
(1) The Returning Officer is to prepare a statement of the ballot papers that are not counted.
(2) The statement is to be made under the following heads—
(a) the ballot paper has on it any writing or mark by which the voter can possibly be identified;
(b) the ballot paper is endorsed with the words “TENDERED” and “重複”;
(c) the ballot paper is endorsed with the words “UNUSED” and “未用”;
(d) the ballot paper is endorsed with the words “SPOILT” and “損壞”;
(e) the ballot paper is substantially mutilated;
(f) the ballot paper is unmarked;
(g) the ballot paper is not marked in accordance with section 56(1) or (2);
(h) the ballot paper is one on which votes are recorded for a number of candidates exceeding—
(i) for a subsector ordinary election—the number of EC members to be elected by the subsector concerned; or (14 of 2021 s. 215)
(ii) for a subsector by-election—the number of EC members to be returned at the by-election;
(i) the ballot paper is void for uncertainty.
(1 of 2019 s. 57)

79. Returning Officer’s decision on ballot paper to be final
Subject to section 39 of the Schedule to the Chief Executive Election Ordinance (Cap. 569), the decision of the Returning Officer on a ballot paper is final.