The recent outpouring of solidarity and organized relief support from Hong Kong’s young people for the Tai Po fire victims indicate a level of social engagement and community consciousness that the electoral process for the eighth-term Legislative Council (LegCo) may well harness, even consolidate.

At the grassroots level, where people’s housing, income and city living issues predominantly influence their voting choices, it is important for the lawmakers to have an ear to the ground. Indeed, when the LegCo is in session, most of the questions raised by members pertain to matters directly affecting their constituents and their quality of life.

The grassroots covenant is the most defining aspect of any electoral process and the lawmakers who are elected from the geographical constituencies are privileged in the sense that after district councilors, they are the ones expected to be most attuned to the pulse of the city. For an average resident, livelihood and the future of their children are generally of paramount consideration. For young people, it is their aspirations and future responsibilities. This remains true for generations around the world.

A successful candidate is someone resonating with the average voter who is looking for three essential things — an understanding of the system and how to navigate it at the governance level; proactive availability in times of crisis; and humility that is constant whether dealing with a billionaire or someone on the lowest rung of the economic ladder. And, of course, the average voter makes an assessment of candidates’ electoral planks and past track record, if available. In the age of the Internet, young people —digital natives — are well equipped to do all of the above. And, within their own spheres — both at home and beyond — they can influence choices and they do. We cannot ignore that.  

That is why, in any election, age affinity matters.

If we look at the age composition of the geographical constituency candidates for the eighth-term LegCo election, the majority are in their thirties and forties — the age bracket in which many people are either young parents or parents of teenagers or older. Any parent or close relative knows the perils of taking the truculence of a young person at face value, dismissing it as arrogant or counterproductive. Young people essentially want to engage and respect the creativity and understanding that go into making them open up and participate in meaningful conversations with them. They tend to clam up and present a disengaged attitude if they sense undeserved disrespect.

This is a real chance of the younger cohort of geographical constituency candidates to make an impression on the city’s young voters — Hong Kong’s future. According to a July 2022 LegCo paper, the city’s youth population aged 15-35 fell by a cumulative 25 percent to 1.68 million during 1997-2021. Youth accounted for 22.7 percent of the local population as at 2021, down from 34.4 percent in 1997.

As per the register of geographical constituency voters released in September 2025, Hong Kong has 724,533 electors in the age range of 18-35 — roughly 17.5 percent of a 4.1 million-strong vote bank. That is a sizeable cohort and the fact that they registered themselves indicates both a desire to participate in the electoral process and respect for their civic duties. This should not be taken lightly. In fact, to quote from the abovementioned LegCo paper, “There has been a robust upsurge in voter registration rate for young people aged 18-35, from 58.3% in 2000 to 70.0% in 2016, and further to 89.7% in 2021”.

In contrast, according to the same paper, the age of elected LegCo members, “the share of those aged up to 35 at the time of election rose from 3.3% in 1998 to a peak of 9.4% in 2016, before easing back to 4.4% in 2021”.

In early April, the Home Affairs Department announced that 40 percent of a total of 940 people appointed as members of District Youth Community Building Committees and District Youth Development and Civic Education Committees for a two-year term were between 16 and 35 years old. And, that the average age of all members was below 35.

Clearly, there is a young cohort that is eager to vote and participate in local public affairs and there is a predominantly younger-than-usual cohort that is presenting itself as LegCo candidates. Let’s hope each understands and serves the other well.

The author is an award-winning English-language fiction writer and current-affairs commentator.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.