HK Chief Executive election starts

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Fung Wah, chairman of the Electoral Affairs Commission of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), speaks to reporters outside the polling station in Hong Kong, south China, March 25, 2012. The 2012 chief executive election of Hong Kong SAR was held on Sunday. (Xinhua/Liao Zida)

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region held the election for the fourth-term Chief Executive on Sunday morning, as members of the 1,200-strong Election Committee started their voting.

Each member of the Election Committee is entitled to cast a single vote by secret ballot.

Three contenders for the city's top post include Leung Chun-ying, former convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Executive Council of Hong Kong, Albert Ho, a lawmaker who is also head of a local political party, and Henry Tang, former chief secretary of the city government.

The order of names of the three candidates on the ballot paper is -- Leung Chun-ying (No. 1), Albert Ho (No. 2) and Henry Tang ( No. 3).

The main polling station and the central counting station are both located at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.

The first round of voting is held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The result of the first-round voting is expected to be unveiled at around 1 p.m. A candidate must obtain more than 600 valid votes to win, according to the city's Electoral Affairs Commission.

Should there be a need for more than one round of voting, the second and third round of voting will be scheduled from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. respectively on Sunday, according to the Commission.

Incumbent Chief Executive Donald Tsang, whose term ends on June 30 this year, is barred from seeking a third term.