身边的政治

今日是香港区议会一般选举投票的日子，又是一次当看客的选举。

最近两个月出门，大街小巷随处可见各路候选人的宣传物料和助选人员。每次路过摊位，都感觉十分奇特。政治离普通人的距离也是如此的近。再上一次感受到这种气氛要追溯到高中，当时我所在的高中是所在街道选区的区人大代表选举投票站，当时没到年龄，不得投票。但是都算是“目击”民主过程了，而且那一次还是难得的差额选举。可能好多人都还不知道，区/县一级人大代表是由我们普通公民直接选举产生的吧。

讲回香港这次的区议会选举，可以看得出政府花了很多心思，铺天盖地的文宣和各级问责官员下场宣传。前几日去宋皇台，一出地铁站就是乌泱乌泱的人员派发投票单张，亲切“劝”一句请出来投票啊，我怀疑是公务员团体落区宣传选举。可惜我不是选民，是看客。

各路候选人们以及所属政党也都各自努力拼选情。近两三个星期经常遇见在街口和地铁口发候选人传单，有可能被拒绝太多次，我收过传单都会激动说声谢谢。这些宣传单张的设计都几有意思，除了可以看见过往政绩和本次选举政纲，都可以一窥候选人的性格。政纲都各有侧重，除了区域民生问题，都有关注女性与少数群体的权益，或者是倡导体育锻炼等的有趣政见。

这次选举都是“揽炒派”（泛民）退出香港政坛之后的首次区议会选举，香港的政治会少些不必要的杂音，有利于香港社会将重点放回经济建设。稳定的香港社会是保障一国，更是保护两制的最好策略。让中央政府少担心特区事务，就是保障高度自治的最好方法。

政治，多么好玩，又近又远，模糊又具体，妥协和坚持共存。这就是为什么我学习和研究政治的原因。
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​图片来源：香港特区政府、大公文汇报、香港选委会、工联会。

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Politics is around us

Today marks the day of the District Council Ordinary Election in Hong Kong, another election where I find myself an observer, not a participant.

For the past couple of months, walking through the streets and alleys one couldn’t help but notice the campaign materials and supporters of various candidates. Each time I passed a booth, the proximity of politics to everyday life struck me as quite special. I hadn’t felt this immersive democratic vibe since high school when my school served as a polling station for our local PC (People’s Congress) representative elections. Back then, I was too young to vote, but it was still my first-hand experience of the democratic process in what was a rare competitive election. Many might not realize that we directly elect our district-level PC representatives.

Speaking of the current Hong Kong District Council elections, it’s clear the government has put considerable effort into its outreach, with ubiquitous promotional materials and officials actively canvassing. A few days ago, near Sung Wong Toi, as soon as you exited the subway station, there was a swarm of people distributing flyers, warmly urging a vote – I suspected it was a civil service cohort promoting the election, which made me reflect on my position as an observer rather than a voter.

Candidates and their parties are tirelessly campaigning, and in recent weeks, I’ve frequently encountered campaign leafleting at street corners and subway exits. Perhaps due to being declined too often, they find themselves excitedly thanking anyone who receives a flyer of the candidate they work for. These materials are pretty insightful – not only showcasing past achievements and current platforms but also providing a glimpse into the candidates’ personalities. The focus varies, from local livelihood issues to the rights of women and minorities or interesting policies like promoting physical fitness.

This election comes after the “pan-democrat” factions’ exit from Hong Kong’s political scene, which might reduce unnecessary noise and benefit the focus on societal and economic development. A stable Hong Kong ensures the ‘One Country’ and protects the ‘Two Systems’ approach. The less the central government needs to worry about special administrative region affairs, the better the high degree of autonomy is maintained.

Politics – so fascinating, at once distant and intimate, clear yet ambiguous, a field where compromise and persistence coexist. That’s exactly why I engage in political studies and research.

Photo sources: Hong Kong SAR Government, Ta Kung Pao, Hong Kong Election Committee, Federation of Trade Unions.

The English version is translated by GPT4.