Hong Kong Registration and Electoral Office released Wednesday the final registers of 2004 Legislative Council (LegCo) voters, among which over 174,000 are new registers.

The size of the electorate for geographical constituencies stands at 3,207,227, which increases by over 151,000 ,or 4.97 percent, as compared with 3,055,378 registered electors in 2000.

The final register for the 28 functional constituencies carries 199,539 electors. This represents an increase of 23,933 or 13.63 percent over the number of registered electors in 2000.

Apart from registration of new electors, a total of 603,585 existing records have been updated in the final register for geographical constituencies while 4,887 entries have been updated in the final register for functional constituencies, said the Office.

The final registers contain the names and residential addresses of electors, who are eligible to vote in the September 12 election.

The second legCo will end its four-year term by Sept. 30, and the third one will begin its term the following day.

According to regulations of the Basic Law, of the 60 members of the third legCo, 30 will be elected directly, six more than that of the second legCo.

Source: Xinhua