[beerandt]

You do realize:

1- voting got implemented over there only a few years before the handover. It's a relatively new and fluid concept to them.

2- industries/businesses get to vote. These are increasingly owned by China

3- China maintains veto power for any political candidates

If only it were as simple as "just vote"

[throwaway1997]

Even with our fake democracy, it's very common for people to buy votes from elderly people, who make up much of the population, and don't really understand democracy.

We have a lot of poverty here so it's very easy to buy votes by just hosting a dinner at a average restaurant, telling the people all the wonderful plans you have for HK then giving them a trinket to help them remember to vote for you.