China Launches New Round of Direct Elections for County and Township-Level Lawmakers

Dragon Media News Desk

China is carrying out a new round of direct elections for deputies to county- and township-level people’s congresses in an orderly manner, according to a senior Chinese legislator.

Song Rui, deputy secretary general of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, said at a press conference on Wednesday that more than one billion voters will directly elect over 2.6 million deputies to people’s congresses at the county and township levels.

He described the process as a vivid practice of China’s “whole-process people’s democracy.” According to Song, deputies to people’s congresses at all levels serve as an important bridge between the Party, the state and the people.

Song called for stronger support to help deputies perform their duties, maintain close contact with the public, convey people’s views and concerns, and contribute to solving practical problems in accordance with the law.

China’s people’s congress system operates through a multi-tiered structure. The National People’s Congress stands at the highest level, followed by people’s congresses at the provincial, municipal, county and township levels. Deputies at each level serve five-year terms.

Under China’s electoral law, deputies to county- and township-level people’s congresses are directly elected by voters. Deputies to people’s congresses above the county level are elected indirectly by deputies at the next lower level.

The previous round of elections was completed in 2022. During that process, more than one billion voters elected about 2.62 million county- and township-level deputies under the principle of “one person, one vote.”

Chinese authorities describe the system as a mechanism that directly connects a vast electorate with local political representation and channels grassroots concerns into formal state institutions.

The latest election cycle continues that structure, with a focus on local representation, public participation and closer links between citizens and the people’s congress system.