Hong Kong (CNN)Hong Kong is on tenterhooks Monday morning after pivotal elections for the city"s parliament saw record turnout numbers and lines stretching around the block.
Tensions were high as pro-democracy parties sought to maintain a majority of democratically elected seats in the Legislative Council that allows them to block certain legislation.
People were still voting at some polling stations at 2 a.m. local time Monday morning, three and half hours after the 10:30 p.m. deadline. The poll is the first major election since the financial center was rocked by pro-democracy street protests in 2014 -- also known as the "Umbrella Revolution."
More than 2.2 million people voted, according to the Electoral Affairs Commission, with a turnout of 58% -- up from 53% in 2012. Hong Kong does not permit postal voting or early voting.
Above and beyond
Voters defied early predictions that turnout would be lower, with 400,000 more people voting than in 2012. Lines stretched around the block in certain districts, as many complained online of poorly staffed polling stations.
In Tai Koo, on Hong Kong Island, voters were still lining up as of 2 a.m. local time Monday.
Others went out of their way to ensure they would be able to take part. Post-graduate student Deryck Chan, 25, flew back from the UK to cast his vote.
"I made sure to book my leave to coincide with the elections," he told CNN.
Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/04/asia/hong-kong-legco-election/index.html
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