The 2020 US Election is dusted and done except for the very few. A few days before the election, South China Morning Post published my view on US election under the title “What US election for president tells Hong Kong about universal suffrage.
I have no strong yea or nah regarding the universal suffrage in Hong Kong. The argument, citing the people are not ready for direct election, sounds lame. Similarly, it seems naive to think a new election system will create hope and solutions for its deep-rooted challenges.
SCMP is a Hong Kong English-language newspaper founded in 1903, with a daily circulation of around 100,000. SCMP has made some minor publishing edits and add some related pictures/links.
Here is the original version.
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The beauty of living in different cities is living to witness different cultures and systems.
I am both a Hongkonger and a Californian. I have voted in every election in the States since 2000. After a few contentious presidential elections, namely Gore Vs Bush and the most recent Hilary vs Trump, I accept painstakingly that my vote and many millions of votes have zero impact on who becomes the next US president. I want to share this with my beloved HongKongers who dream that the universal suffrage can address the deep-rooted challenges facing the millions in Hong Kong.
The presidential election system in the States has apparent flaws.
First, the majority could lose. The majority did not win in the Gore Vs Bush election. The majority did not win in the most recent Hilary vs Trump election when Hilary got almost 3 millions more votes than Trump.
Secondly, with the electoral college, the winner-take-all, there is no difference whether the republican wins by a large margin or just one vote in most states. Only the swing states, which could go to Republican or Democratic party, matter. These swing states (Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Nevada, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Florida, Arizona, North Carolina, Georgia) are not well known to HongKongers. These swing states represent less than a third of the US GDP and its population. Yet the presidential candidates spend most time visiting to influence the voters. Every four years, lots of resources are spared to seek the votes in these swing states. If California were a sovereign nation, it would rank as the world’s fifth largest economy. Yet in the US presidential election, Californians, being a strong Democrat’s base, have little impact on the outcome.
Last but not least, social networks are amplifiers for idiots and fake news. Voters are so easily influenced by fake news in social media.
In summary, each system has its own limitations. The US is drastically different from the situations in Hong Kong and we cannot compare. By sharing experience and observation as a US voter, I hope it shows that idealizing the universal suffrage would not lead to a solution for Hong Kong. The future of the city relies more on Hongkongers to respect, appreciate and take advantage of the differences between Hong Kong and the mainland cities.
oliviatamccue 
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