Hong Kong residents began to cast ballots yesterday to vote for the members of a committee that will select its leader for the next five years.
The voting comes just days after embattled Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying announced that he would not be seeking re-election for family reasons.
The election will be key in setting the tone of the future of the city, which has suffered a divisive and bitter time under Leung’s leadership.
The hope of many democracy advocates is that he will be replaced by someone who will take into account more grassroots concerns.
Leung is seen as only answerable to Beijing.
Towards that end, democracy activists are hoping to take as many seats on the committee as possible.
Turnout was reported to be high, with 18.5% of 230,000 people eligible to cast their votes having done so by 2.30pm (0630 GMT).
Leung’s handling of the disqualification of two pro-independence lawmakers from the city’s legislature has drawn heavy criticism because it involved Beijing weighing in on the city’s Basic Law, raising questions about the independence of the city’s judiciary.
His administration also put forward a highly controversial electoral reform bill that would have seen Hong Kongers unable to freely nominate and pick a leader.
Instead, a committee of around 1,200 would pick a list of candidates, from which the public would choose.
The bill, which was shelved, brought protesters to the street for 79 days in 2014.
One of the problems protesters had was that the new measure changes so little from the current procedure.
Hong Kong currently has its leader picked by a roughly 1,200-person-strong committee whose representatives are picked by professional and special interest groups, such as those in the legal, banking and agriculture and fisheries sector.
The system is highly criticised as being rigged to favour the business sector and neglecting the needs of grassroots Hong Kong.
Only one candidate – retired judge Woo Kwok-hing – has declared intent to run for the top job.
Current Financial Secretary John Tsang, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam, and pro-Beijing lawmaker Regina Ip are also tipped to run.