With a view to supporting the 2021 Legislative Council General Election (2021 LCGE) Polling Day on 19 December last year, the EMSD was commissioned by the Registration and Electoral Office to formulate a series of new complementary measures using innovation and technology (I&T) for the smooth running of the election. On the polling day, the EMSD deployed approximately 1 600 staff to work in different positions at the polling stations and mobilised more than 1 500 colleagues and contractor staff to provide technical support to the election.
The EMSD was responsible for a number of election preparatory duties that had to be completed within a short period of time, including installing and testing the lighting, electrical and mechanical (E&M) and electronic equipment and infrared fever screening systems at the polling and counting stations, and co-ordinating with various divisions to organise multiple oath-taking ceremonies for over 1 000 election supporting workers, including EMSD and contractor staff. To facilitate management and emergency response, the EMSD team developed a digital management system utilising Internet of Things and mobile technologies to monitor the installation progress of each polling station in Hong Kong in real time. The team also set up an Emergency Response Centre from 18 to 20 December to monitor the work progress and make appropriate staffing arrangements in real time through digital platforms in order to provide immediate support services. In addition, as the Electronic Poll Register system was used for the first time to distribute ballot papers, the EMSD especially strengthened the monitoring of government data centres to ensure the stable operation of government cloud networks.
It was no easy task to prepare properly for a large-scale event within a limited time. It involved many challenges, and the participating colleagues must have extensive project management experience and teamwork. For instance, the installation and testing of 693 polling stations and over 600 counting stations in Hong Kong within a short period of time required the co-operation and support of multiple teams. With limited time and resources, leveraging on the use of I&T could enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
Thanks to the EMSD team's response experience and capabilities, prior preparation and thorough co-ordination, as well as the proper application of I&T, the support work for the 2021 LCGE was completed smoothly and the achievements made are evident to all.