With opposition candidates blocked, voters shun Hong Kong’s local elections

News Snapshot:

Hong Kong has seen its lowest turnout in an election since returning to Chinese rule after opposition candidates were blocked from standing for district councils. Fewer than 1.2 million people voted in Sunday’s district council elections, just 27.54 per cent of the 4.3 million registered voters, despite a huge official effort to encourage participation. Hong Kong’s government laid on free public concerts with drone shows and firework displays to keep voters in the city for the weekend and paid nursing homes to drive residents to polling stations. But the turnout was lower even than in legislative council elections two years...