The Government's target of getting 480,000 successful applications for elector registration and elector record updates has been met.

Over 420,000 voter registration forms had been received by May 15, the close of the second last day of the six-week voter registration campaign which started on April 3.

The forms include new applications for registration as electors and notification of change of records by registered electors.

Over 600,000 applications received

Between January 1 and April 2 the Registration & Electoral Office received 30,000 successful applications for registration as electors and change of records.

Since the year's start, the office has received over 170,000 authorised referral cases from the Housing and Immigration Departments for updating of electors' records.

Therefore, in total it has already received information to deal with over 600,000 new applications for registration as electors and notification of change of records by registered electors.

As at May 14, the office has validated about 270,000 forms, of which about 150,000 (56%) are for new registration, and 120,000 (44%) are for updating of records.

Validated applications will be published

Some time after May 16, when more information on the total number of registration forms and referral cases is available, the office will give a more up-to-date account.

All validated applications and change of address will be reflected in the provisional register for 2004. According to the Legislative Council Ordinance, the Electoral Registration Officer must compile and publish the provisional register not later than June 15. The provisional register will then be made available for public inspection from June 15 to June 29.