|
With the development of a representative government, 1991 saw the introduction of direct elections to the Hong Kong Legislative Council. Three years later, in 1994, the Hong Kong Government lowered the voting age to 18. Under the principles of "One Country, Two Systems" and "Hong Kong People Ruling Hong Kong", youth participation in electoral affairs began to attract a great deal of attention. The second Legislative Council elections of the HKSAR are to be held on 10 September 2000.
The aim of this study, undertaken through a territory-wide opinion survey and focused-group discussions, is to assess the election culture of young people in Hong Kong. It will pay particular attention to the voting habits of young people in the following three ways: (1) their personal political beliefs and attitudes; (2) the role of the media and public opinion and (3) their personal socio-economic backgrounds.
This study hopes to be able to provide a comprehensive analysis for the reference and assistance of the HKSAR Government and youth work organizations in formulating relevant policies and measures for the future.
An opinion poll was conducted from 24 July to 2 August 2000, by means of random sampling. A total of 756 young people aged from 18 to 29 were successfully interviewed by phone. The success rate is 31%. Three focused group interviews were conducted from 4 August to 8 August 2000. and a total of 20 youth were interviewed.
With respect to the fluctuations in both the number of registered voters and their turnout rates in the latest three Legislative Council Elections, it is still too early to form a conclusion on the trend of youth participation. If we want to encourage electoral participation among youth, it is important to continuously get hold of, to understand, and to respond to, the pattern of young people's behavioral inclinations and its related findings.
The results of our survey showed that among the registered voters, a vast majority said that they would vote in the coming elections. Through the interviews with focused groups, it was found that most young respondents believed that voting was an important way to express their opinions, to exert their influence, to learn about democracy, and to support the electoral system. It reveals that the culture of electoral participation is already rooted deeply in their mind. The role of young people in social participation is not negligible and should therefore receive greater attention.
Our survey revealed that those respondents who joined student unions, church organizations, groups organized by youth centers, trade unions, professional organizations and volunteer service teams, seemed to participate more actively in elections. Furthermore, those who believed that the work of the Legislative Council was closely related to their lives, and those who claimed that they cared about politics, were more enthusiastic to register themselves as voters and to vote in elections.
Cross tabulation indicated that some factors had no significant relationship with young people's participation in elections. These included: respondents' evaluation on their individual political efficacy; their political interest; their evaluation of the performance of the SAR Government; their evaluation of the Legislative Council; and their evaluation on political parties/political figures.
Statistics showed that young people, when compared to an older age group, were less enthusiastic. This means that there is still room for development in youth participation in elections. This study provides several suggestions for further consideration to encourage their greater participation. These are highlighted below:
The survey results showed that young people, who had affiliations or participated in student unions, youth centres and volunteer work, were more eager to participate in elections. These affiliations may have acted as miniatures of society that nurtured an interest in participation. In this respect, opening up more affiliation channels could be an effective way to foster young people's participation in social and electoral affairs.
The survey results also revealed that respondents whose parents participated in previous elections showed a greater tendency to register as voters and vote. The importance of parents in acting as role models for their children's participation is clear. The role of families in sending messages on civic duties and responsibilities should be clearly stated.
As shown in this study, there was a mixed reaction towards young people's impressions of the Legislative Council and the performance of LegCo members. At the same time, data showed that those respondents who thought that the work of Legislative Council was closely related to their lives, were more active in voter registration and voting. There is reason to believe that by putting forth more youth-related issues into the agenda of LegCo meetings, Legislative Councilors could gain more understanding and support from young people. This would help curb scuffles between parties and encourage electoral participation in the future.
Last but not least, the survey results indicated that for those respondents who did not think that ¡§the Government was willing to hear the opinions of young people,¡¨ their comments towards the Government's performance were also less positive. It is therefore an important issue for the SAR Government to enhance better communications with young people if she wants to be supported by the new generation.
-End-¡@
Youth Study
Series No.22
