How to win elections in Hong Kong

It’s a lot easier than you think.

1. Eliminate any opposition by jailing or banishing pro-democracy candidates.

2. Cut the number of directly elected Legislative Council seats from 35 to 20.

3. Allow only candidates who pledge allegiance to Beijing to run for office.

4. Flood the zone with voters from mainland China on election day.

5. Congratulate the voters on having made the right decision.

Whatever you do, don’t let the historic low voter turnout of 30.2 percent get you down. Link it to good governance and public satisfaction with the administration.

And don’t forget to smile.