Nineteen Village Representative vacancies will be open to nominations for by-election candidates from October 23 to November 5.

The by-elections will cover 11 Indigenous Inhabitant Representative and eight Resident Representative posts for 18 villages.

To run in the Indigenous Inhabitant Representative by-election, a candidate must be an indigenous inhabitant and an elector of the Indigenous Village-Composite Indigenous Village and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong.

As for the Resident Representative by-election, a candidate must be a resident of the Existing Village and have resided there for six years immediately preceding the nomination. He or she must also be an elector of the village.

All candidates of both categories must be permanent Hong Kong residents aged 21 or above. Nobody is allowed to stand as a candidate in more than one village. Each candidate must be nominated by at least five electors from that village. Each elector may nominate only one candidate for his or her village.

Nominate now

Nomination forms are available at the Public Enquiry Services Centres of all District Offices, the Home Affairs Department and the Village Representative Elections' website.

Forms must be submitted in person to the District Officer of the respective village by 5pm on November 5.

If there is more than one validly nominated candidate for the same village, a poll will be held on November 28. Eligible voters will receive a polling notice which specifies the date, time and place of the poll.

Meanwhile, from October 20, the 2004 Existing Villages final register as well as the Indigenous Villages and Composite Indigenous Villages final register will be available for public inspection.

A full copy of the registers will be open for inspection during normal office hours at the Electoral Registration Officer's office at the Home Affairs Department, 30/F, Southorn Centre, 130 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai.

Relevant sections of the final registers can also be inspected at the office of the relevant Assistant Electoral Registration Officers at the respective New Territories District Offices. For enquiries call 2152 1521.