Page:Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance (Cap. 554).pdf/24

ELECTIONS (CORRUPT AND ILLEGAL CONDUCT) ORDINANCE (2) A person may be convicted of an offence of having engaged in illegal conduct at an election if the person is found to have engaged in the conduct before, during or after the election period.

23. Illegal conduct for persons other than candidates and election expense agents to incur election expenses

(1) A person, other than a candidate or a candidate's election expense agent, engages in illegal conduct at an election of the person incurs election expenses at or in connection with the election.

(2) If a candidate who belongs to a group of candidates incurs election expenses at or in connection with an election, the candidate engages in illegal conduct at the election unless each other candidate who belongs to the group has authorized the candidate to be the other candidate's election expense agent.

(3) A candidate engages in illegal conduct at an election if election expenses incurred by the candidate or by the candidate's election expense agent are not included in the candidate's election return.

(4) An election expense agent engages in illegal conduct at an election if the agent incurs election expenses that exceed the amount specified in the agent's authorization.

(5) For the purposes of this Ordinance, a person is an election expense agent of a candidate (other than a candidate who is a member of a group of 2 or more candidates) if—
 * (a) the person is authorized in writing by the candidate to incur election expenses at or in connection with the election on behalf of the candidate; and
 * (b) the maximum amount of election expenses that the person is authorized to incur is specified in the authorization; and
 * (c) a copy of the authorization has been served on the appropriate returning officer.

(6) For the purposes of this Ordinance, a person (including a candidate) is an election expense agent of a group of 2 or more candidates only if—
 * (a) the person is authorized in writing by each of the candidates to incur election expenses at or in connection with the election on behalf of the group; and
 * (b) the maximum amount of election expenses that the person is authorized to incur is specified in the authorization; and
 * (c) a copy of the authorization has been served on the appropriate returning officer.

(7) An authorization referred to in subsection (5) or (6) remains in force until the end of the relevant election period unless it is revoked earlier.