(Bloomberg) -- A Hong Kong court issued arrest warrants on Monday for two self-exiled, former lawmakers for allegedly urging voters to cast blank votes or boycott the upcoming election for the city’s Legislative Council.

Former lawmaker Ted Hui and ex-district councillor Yau Man-chun, both 39, allegedly breached the city’s elections ordinance for “inciting another person not to vote, or to cast invalid vote,” according to a statement from the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

Following an application by the ICAC, a magistrate issued the arrest warrants because the pair have already left Hong Kong, according to the statement. Hui and Yau allegedly incited an election boycott with “posts on their respective social media pages.”

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Hong Kong has delayed its Legislative Council election for more than year, citing Covid-19 restrictions. During the delay the city’s electoral system has been overhauled by Beijing to give the government veto over any candidate, and much of the formal opposition has been jailed under a China-imposed national security law.

Hui is facing four charges of the election ordinance, while Yau is facing eight charges. The men face a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a fine of HK$200,000. Polling for the upcoming elections take place Dec. 19.

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