Hong Kong Official: Record Spoiled Votes Not Caused by Voter Pressure

Hong Kong's constitutional affairs chief has rejected claims that a record number of spoiled ballots in a recent election resulted from public pressure. Secretary Erick Tsang Kwok-wai said authorities may now reconsider using "smart ballot boxes." These electronic boxes would alert voters if their ballot is incorrectly marked, potentially reducing errors. Tsang also stated that last month's deadly Tai Po fire impacted overall voter turnout in the Legislative Council poll. The election last Sunday saw an unprecedented number of invalid votes. Officials are analyzing the cause but dismiss the idea that voters were forced to participate incorrectly.