TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Numerous Taichung voters complained that their polling stations did not provide referendum ballots during Saturday’s (Nov. 26) voting.
UDN reported that a voter reported election staff members at Taichung’s polling station number 1324 for not providing referendum ballots. Meanwhile, another voter at Taichung’s Szu Chen Junior High School polling station number 0313 accused staff members of “technical impediment.”
The individual demanded why staff members took the extra step of asking, twice, “Do you want to get your referendum ballot?”
A man surnamed Chen (陳) from Taichung’s Tanzi District was cited by Liberty Times as saying that after he cast his votes at polling station number 0695 at the “Jingcheng” Building, he realized he had only received three ballots and was missing one for the referendum. When he asked for his ballot for the referendum, the election staff told him once he had cast his vote, he could not get more ballots.
When Chen was told that staff members would not “actively” remind voters to get their referendum ballot, he questioned whether this was a scheme to prevent the referendum from passing.
The referendum question asks whether voters agree to add an article to the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China that lowers the voting age from 20 to 18 and the minimum candidacy age from 23 to 18. As the amendment will only pass if over half of eligible voters agree, it means at least 9,619,697 votes must be in favor.
In response, Taichung City Election Commission Commissioner Huang Chung-tien (黃崇典) said staff members had followed Central Election Commission (CEC) instructions by not prompting voters to vote. He said this was why staff members did not actively provide reminders.
However, as the commission had received many reports from voters about not receiving referendum ballots, it decided to instruct its staff to remind voters, “There is also a ballot for the referendum” after discussing the issue with the CEC. Staff members also reminded voters to confirm that they received all the ballots necessary.
The Taichung City Election Commission denied that its staff was involved in any “technical impediment” and urged the public to refrain from spreading rumors.
