JEFFIE LAMjeffie.lam@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Monday, 07 December, 2015, 12:01am
UPDATED : Monday, 07 December, 2015, 12:01am
Defeated candidate Lee Wing-tat is understood to have opposed two lists in New Territories West. Photo: Dickson Lee
The Democratic Party has tentatively decided to field seven lists of candidates at most in the Legislative Council's geographical constituency elections next year, a move some fear is too risky.
Although the party's election committee had proposed one list in each of the five constituencies, the Democrats voted yesterday to field an extra list in New Territories East and West, even though they had no incumbent lawmaker in the latter district.
"Some members think we should take a safer bet, but others think we might disappoint voters by fielding only one list [in the two constituencies]," said chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing after the annual general meeting.
The party opens its application to aspirants from Thursday and will commission the University of Hong Kong to run a poll on all candidates for 10 weeks. It would then reconsider the situation in April, Lau said.
In 2012 the party suffered a setback by losing two seats. Lau was the only one on the three lists in New Territories East to win a seat; those on the two lists in New Territories West - led by Lee Wing-tat and wife Josephine Chan Shu-ying - lost because of a voting split for pan-democrats.
It was understood that Lee appealed to members yesterday not to back two lists in New Territories West, arguing it was better to secure one seat than lose two.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1887886/hong-kongs-democratic-party-gambles-plan-field-extra
