HONG KONG - The nomination period for the chief executive election of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) will run from April 3 to 16, the Electoral Affairs Commission said on Friday.

The once-in-five-year election, which was originally scheduled for March 27, was postponed to May 8 due to the COVID-19 epidemic.

Keith Yeung, judge of the Court of First Instance of the High Court, has been appointed by the Electoral Affairs Commission as the returning officer for the election.

Candidates for the office of the chief executive shall be nominated jointly by not less than 188 members of the Election Committee, among whom the number of members of each sector should not be less than 15. Each member of the Election Committee may only nominate one candidate.

The Election Committee shall elect the chief executive designate by secret ballot on a one-person-one-vote basis. The election of the chief executive designate shall require a simple majority vote of all the 1,500 members of the Election Committee.