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Leaders of Hong Kongs pro-democracy Occupy protests are turning to sympathetic legislators in their push for unfettered elections as prospects dim for more dialogue with the citys government.

Pro-democracy lawmakers are considering resigning from the Legislative Council, forcing by-elections that would serve as a proxy vote on constitutional reform, according to Alex Chow, secretary-general of the Hong Kong Federation of Students.

Chows group was one of at least three that first took to the streets in September after Beijings Aug. 31 decision that candidates for the citys top post be vetted by a nominating committee, angering activists who say the mechanism will guarantee a pro-China chief executive. Talks between student leaders and the government on Oct. 21 failed to end the impasse.

Hong Kongs Autonomy

We havent heard from the government since, Chow said in an interview yesterday. The middlemen are not even working any longer. If they cannot give us anything concrete, then our job is to rethink the next step of the movement.

The by-election will give the pro-democracy movement a fresh impetus to add supporters when politicians campaign in their districts, Chow said. If we want to take the movement to another stage, we cannot simply focus on the Occupy protest areas, we have to go back to the community, he said.

Hong Kong Chief Secretary Carrie Lams press officer Andy Lam couldnt immediately be reached for comment yesterday evening.

Two options are being discussed, either of which would trigger a citywide by-election, pro-democracy Legislative Council member Alan Leong, leader of the Civic Party, said in a telephone interview yesterday. Pro-democracy parties have 27 seats in the 70-member legislature.

Either pro-democracy lawmakers would resign from Hong Kongs five electoral districts, or one legislator specially elected from among neighborhood councilors would quit, Leong said. Hong Kong doesnt have a referendum law, so a by-election is one way to have a de facto plebiscite, Leong said.

Legislative Council President Jasper Tsang said he doesnt see the point of such resignations and doesnt want them to happen, according to a Cable Television report.

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H.K. Protest Leaders Seek Lawmakers Help to Up Pressure