A record 11,130 public servants will be chosen as municipal mayors and councilors; magistrates, mayors and councilors of counties and provincial cities; township chiefs and councilors; aboriginal district chiefs and councilors; as well as borough and village chiefs.
The nine-in-one ballots are projected to engage the service of over 200,000 poll workers in approximately 15,600 stations throughout Taiwan. Official candidacy registrations will commence Sept. 1-5, with the results of the election announced Dec. 5.
CEC Acting Chairman Liu I-chou said Aug. 21 that mobile phones are banned from the polling booths, with violators subject to a fine of up to NT$300,000 (US$10,000). The sending of text messages soliciting votes on election day will be considered electioneering and punishable with a fine of at least NT$500,000, he added.
According to the CEC, in the 10 days leading up to the vote, the media is banned from publishing the results of opinion polls. This measure is to ensure free and fair elections.
This year the commission is also cracking down on potential threats to the environment stemming from the elections, Liu said, adding that it will use ballot papers and boxes made from recycled materials. (YHC-JSM)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw