HONG KONG -- Voter participation hit a historic low in Hong Kong's legislative election after the electoral system was overhauled to ensure only "patriots" were allowed to stand as candidates, a barometer that political observers describe as "embarrassing" for the government.
Just 30.2% of registered voters cast ballots before polls closed Sunday, the worst turnout in an election since Hong Kong's return to Chinese rule in 1997. The lowest prior occurred in 2000, drawing 43.6% of registered voters.
