HK protest candidates winning polls

PRO-democracy supporters celebrate the win of their candidates. AFP

The New York Times has reported that pro-democracy candidates seemed headed to victory in the election for 18 district councils as voters turned in record numbers Sunday.

The paper said the candidates rode high on the six months of protest waged by ordinary citizens to pressure the Beijing-backed government to listen to their demands.

Results from 235 races tabulated early on Monday morning by the South China Morning Post showed 196 pro-democracy candidates winning their races as opposed to 27 pro-Beijing establishment candidates and 12 independents.

Long queues snaked out of polling stations across the territory where the record turnout is expected to benefit democratic forces.

The Electoral Affairs Commission said about 71 percent of the 4.13 million citizens registered to vote had cast their ballots across Sunday as the count began.

It was the highest turnout in Hong Kong’s history of district council elections since they were established following the handover from British rule in 1997.