[Petition against HK Government's plan on setting up polling stations in Mainland China]

On 1st August, the Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam proposed Hong Kong to adopt overseas voting that setting up polling stations in Guangdong Greater Bay Area for Hong Kong citizens to vote in Mainland China in Hong Kong elections. We strongly oppose Carrie Lam's proposal, given that such a proposal will create an opportunity for election fraud.

We concern that the fairness of elections will be undermined. Beijing may block representatives of pro-democracy candidates or observers from entering mainland China which would leave the polling stations in mainland China unmonitorable. It will also enable the government to influence the results of future elections by manipulating the results of polling stations in mainland China.

It is abundantly clear that the proposal of overseas voting is politically driven and in favour of pro-Beijing candidates. Therefore, we strongly urge the government to drop the proposal to ensure free and fair elections.

Joshua Wong, Tiffany Yuen, Jannelle Leung, Sunny Cheung, Gwyneth Ho, Eddie Chu, Lester Shum

4th August 2020

【境外投票形同黑箱 香港選票不容玷污 —— 聯署反對大灣區設置票站】

八月初，林鄭政府以便利居住中國境內港人投票為由，擬於粵港澳大灣區設立票站作立法會選舉。我們認為，境外票站等同奉上港人之民主選舉予中共操縱，妨礙選舉公正，必須撤回。

中共素來一黨專政，從無實行普及而平等的民主選舉，打壓民主人權更是劣跡斑斑。由逼害起草《零八憲章》倡議民主的劉曉波、血腥鎮壓烏坎村民選代表、709大搜捕拘禁維權律師等，盡見在中共直接管轄下，公民權利不受保障。

選舉的公平公正，端看公民能否在不受壓力和干預之下投票。然而，未來香港若在大灣區設置票站，中國各個強力部門、國安機構會否介入，選舉過程是否不受中共干預，中共血淋淋的往績實在令人不敢恭維。

再者，選舉的公平公正亦著重程序公義。目前香港選舉設有監察投票代理人(監投人)、監察點票代理人(監點人)，以便候選人團隊監察，就票站運作、問題選票等提出異議。但在國安法實施、中共直轄的大灣區之下，相信民主派人士勢必無法入境，甚至一入境就要面臨拘禁，更加遑論行使監察權利。

部份開放選舉曾是中國與香港一條涇渭分明的界線，一國兩制設計之初亦有所謂以民主垂範中國的理想。然而，如今香港政府不但大肆剝奪參選資格、延期選舉，就連投票票站亦斷送中共，港人的民主自治願景已經全然淪喪。未來，儘管未能確定香港是否仍有選舉，港人是否以白票或廢票展現杯葛的民意，但不論如何，我們都反對於大灣區設立票站，將港人選票送中玷污。

黃之鋒、袁嘉蔚、梁凱晴、張崑陽、何桂藍、朱凱廸、岑敖暉

2020年8月4日