This file photo dated Mar 12, 2021 shows the exterior of the headquarters of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, south China. [Photo/Xinhua]

Voting for the election of the eighth-term Legislative Council (LegCo) of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) kicked off Sunday morning.

Long queues had already formed outside multiple polling stations across Hong Kong before the polls opened at 7:30 a.m. local time. At polling station entrances, staff and volunteers attentively assisted voters with the procedures.

HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee cast his ballot around 8:30 a.m. at Raimondi College on Robinson Road. Speaking to the media, Lee hoped that all voters would come out to vote, noting that each ballot represents a push for reform and a collective effort to move forward together.

The new term of LegCo will be composed of 90 members, including 40 elected by the Election Committee, 30 elected by functional constituencies, and 20 elected by geographical constituencies through direct elections. A total of 161 candidates are contesting the election, with competition for every seat.

Outside a polling station in the Kowloon Central constituency, a woman assisted an elderly person into the station, while some voters posed for a photo holding a thank-you card given by staff after casting their ballot.

Near the Election Committee Constituency polling station at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Wan Chai, voter Ms. Huang said she hoped the new term of the Legislative Council would usher in a new atmosphere for Hong Kong.

Mr. Lau, a resident of Tai Po, where a deadly fire hit a residential complex last week, came to vote with his wife in the morning, as they did in the previous elections.

"After the disaster struck, in addition to engaging in mutual assistance and support, we also came to a clearer realization that actively exercising the right to vote in the LegCo election is a crucial action for building a better Hong Kong, helping disaster-affected people rebuild their homes, and enabling them to return to normal life as soon as possible," Lau said.

According to the HKSAR government, voting will conclude at 11:30 p.m., with more than 600 polling stations open across Hong Kong to serve approximately 4.13 million registered voters.

The eighth-term LegCo of the HKSAR will commence its four-year term on Jan. 1, 2026.