TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Voters across Taiwan started casting ballots on Saturday for an unprecedented wave of recall votes targeting 24 KMT lawmakers, marking the largest mass recall campaign in the country’s history.
All lawmakers in what is being called the “Great Recall” gained office in last year’s general election. The recall efforts span nearly one-third of all legislative constituencies, with a concentration in the north and urban regions, according to CNA and BBC.
If more than six lawmakers are recalled, it would shift the balance of power in the Legislative Yuan, where the KMT-led opposition holds a narrow majority. The ruling DPP could potentially regain full control of government.
Targeted districts include five seats each in Taipei and New Taipei, six in Taoyuan, three in Taichung, and one each in Keelung, Hsinchu City, Yunlin, Hualien, and Taitung.
Voting is taking place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To be eligible, voters must be Taiwanese nationals aged 20 or older and have been registered in their district for at least four months.
Under the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act, a recall succeeds only if two conditions are met. The number of votes in favor must exceed those against, and the total number of affirmative votes must equal at least one-quarter of all registered voters in the district.
The Central Election Commission is expected to announce the results within seven days. If a recall is successful, the lawmaker is immediately removed from office.
A by-election must then be held within three months. If a legal challenge is filed the seat would be left vacant until the case is resolved.
If the recall fails, no further petitions can be filed against the same legislator during their current term.
Lawmakers in the spotlight
More than half of the 24 KMT lawmakers facing recall received over 50% of the vote in their respective districts during the 2024 legislative election.
- Taipei City
In Taipei, Wang Hung-wei (王鴻薇)
Lee Yen-hsiu (李彥秀)
Lo Chih-chiang (羅智強)
Hsu Chiao-hsin (徐巧芯)
Lai Shyh-bao (賴士葆)
- New Taipei City
Hung Mong-kai (洪孟楷)
Chang Chih-lun (張智倫)
Liao Hsien-hsiang (廖先翔)
Yeh Yuan-chih (葉元之)
Lin Te-fu (林德福)
- Taoyuan City
Taoyuan is a traditionally blue-leaning stronghold. The city swung further toward the KMT in the 2024 elections, with six legislators facing recalls on Saturday.
Niu Hsu-ting (牛煦庭)
Tu Quan-ji (涂權吉)
Lu Ming-che (魯明哲)
Wan Mei-ling (萬美玲)
Lu Yu-ling (呂玉玲)
Chiu Jo-hua (邱若華)
- Taichung City
Liao Wei-hsiang (廖偉翔)
Huang Chien-hao (黃健豪)
Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋)
- Other cities and counties
Keelung City's Lin Pei-hsiang (林沛祥)
Hsinchu City's Cheng Cheng-chien (鄭正鈐)
Yunlin County's Ting Hsueh-chung (丁學忠)
Hualien County's Fu Kun-chi (傅崐萁)
Taitung County's Huang Chien-pin (黃建賓)
