The Registration and Electoral Office said on Tuesday that the nomination period for a by-election for four vacant Legislative Council seats would run from November 1 to 14.

The seats in the Election Committee constituency became vacant when Horace Cheung, Alice Mak, Sun Dong and Nelson Lam left the legislature to join the administration.

A spokesman for the office said that if there are more than four candidates, a poll will be held on December 18.

The spokesman said a nominee doesn’t have to be a member of the Election Committee, but must be a Chinese citizen and a Hong Kong permanent resident aged 21 or above.

He or she must also be a registered geographical constituency elector who has resided in Hong Kong for three years before the date of the nomination. Candidates must not have right of abode in any foreign country.

Each hopeful must collect nominations from at least 10 but not more than 20 members of the Election Committee, which must include at least two but not more than four members from each of the five sectors that constitute the committee, the office's statement said.