Beijing's re-election for the district-level legislature --the people's congress -- concluded yesterday.

A total of 4,403 people were elected to 18 district and county legislatures, the Beijing District-level People's Congress Re-election Office announced yesterday.

The deputies will serve a five-year term and be responsible for selecting officials and supervising district-level administrative, judicial and procuratorial branches.

The list of district-level people's congress delegates elected in 2,336 electoral wards is expected to be released once the districts' election committees confirm the results, said Luan Shubin, an official with the re-election office.

The first session of the re-elected district-level people's congress will be held in January throughout Beijing's 18 districts and counties. Members of the standing committee on district-level people's congress, district heads, the district people's court president and procurator general of the district people's procuratorate will be chosen at that time.

About 7.74 million people voted on election day, that's a 95 percent voter turnout rate.

The number of registered voters and voter turnout increased over the last election said the re-election office, though no specific figures were available.

About 32 percent of elected deputies are women, a three percent increase over the last poll. Those with higher education degrees make up 79 percent of the elected, an increase of about 12 percent, and about 25 percent of deputies were re-elected.

Among the city's 2,336 electoral wards, most elected their deputies by a simple majority while 34 wards conducted a second poll after failing to reach a majority. The second-round concluded on Monday night.

(China Daily December 17, 2003)