At least 49 hopefuls have declared that they will run for directly elected seats in Hong Kong’s coming Legislative Council race after the first week of the nomination period, already marking a 40 per cent jump from the previous poll. While an intensified race could encourage residents to cast their ballots on December 7, the absence of opposition candidates could still pose a challenge for voter turnout, a political scientist said on Friday. The legislature will also undergo a massive reshuffle...