Pro-establishment candidates in Hong Kong's election for district councils held on to a majority in polling characterized by record turnout, the emergence of new faces and a diluted opposition base.

In Sunday's contest, 867 candidates vied for 363 of the 431 seats across 18 district councils in the city, with each seat representing a small neighborhood. Including the taking of 66 uncontested seats, pro-establishment candidates took 298 seats and retained majority control of all councils.

The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions altogether won 146 seats. They drew one-fourth more ballots than in the last election in 2011, although they had no gain in the number of seats.

Newcomers did well. Joephy Chan Wing-yan, with endorsement from both the DAB and the FTU, beat veteran councilor and lawmaker Frederick Fung Kin-kee in a public estate constituency in which Fung had an established presence for 12 years.

The pro-establishment New People Party expanded its hinterland in the towns of Tsuen Wan and Tuen Mun with four additional seats.

In the opposition camp, small parties outperformed their big counterparts: Neo Democrats won 15 out of 16 races, while eight newcomers claimed surprise wins.

The radical faction in the opposition suffered a big blow, with People Power losing all but one of 10 contests, and the lone winner didn't use the party's name.

City University political commentator James Sung Lap-kung said he expected that the radicals will be "marginalized" when Hong Kong holds the election for Legislative Council in September.

With 1.47 million people casting ballots, or 47 percent of all registered voters who had candidates to choose from, Sunday's election set records for both head count and turnout rate.

District councils play an advisory role in policymaking, but they are important for political parties to grow supporter bases and acquire resources.

kahon@chinadailyhk.com

(China Daily 11/24/2015 page1)