CE lauds 'high-quality' polls, congratulates winners
Chief Executive John Lee on Monday congratulated Hong Kong's newly elected district councillors, and thanked people who turned out to vote and all the staff who made the polls possible. "This was a high-quality election that met the objectives of being conducted in a fair, just, clean, safe and orderly manner overall, fully demonstrating an election culture of excellence and the superiority of the reformed [district council] system," Lee said in a statement. The CE thanked election officials, saying they had to handle a massive amount of work, while also stressing that they have three months to turn in a report into what went wrong with the electronic poll register system which collapsed during voting. Lee also said the election winners come from various backgrounds and sectors, and they will bring diverse perspectives to the councils.  He added that the government will announce the list of nearly 180 appointed council members as soon as possible. The councils will begin their four-year term in the new year, and Lee said he hopes they will focus on local affairs. "This will enable the government to better keep tabs on the districts, facilitate the planning and promotion of district services that better meet the needs of citizens, and improve governance at the district level, enabling us all to build a better community and maintain the long-term prosperity and stability of Hong Kong together," he said.