Former Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) chairman Shih Ming-te (施明德) yesterday called for election laws to add “negative voting,” which he said would allow voters to express a wider range of opinion.
Shih told a news conference in Taipei that he and some colleagues believe that voters should have the option to express their views even when they do not want to vote for any of the candidates in an election.
Casting negative votes would help solve that problem, enabling citizens to not only express their support for a candidate, but also to express their dissatisfaction.
Under the proposal, the final ballot count would be the net result of votes for the candidate after subtracting the negative votes, Shih said.
The system would prove helpful in an election with three candidates who do not meet the needs of the job at hand, Shih said.
The system could also help boost voter turnout and cut pressure on the public budget, as candidates would receive decreased subsidies from the NT$30 per vote gained in the election, Shih said.
Shih’s comments refer to Article 43 of the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法), which stipulates how winning candidates’ campaign expenses are subsidized.
For election winners who garner one-third of the votes in their constituency when there is only one elected candidate, or those who earn half of the votes in their constituency if there are two elected candidates, campaign expenses are to be subsidized by NT$30 per vote, the article stipulates.
The system would also negate the efforts of candidates who seek to court specific social groups, Shih said.
It would go a long way toward bolstering fairness and social equality, he said.
Many things that are right are doubted and questioned at first, and while it poses some risk to those who benefit under the current system, the younger generation should support the reform, as it is creative and new, Shih said.
The Ministry of the Interior took a positive view of the concept, saying that it would offer more choices for voters to express their opinions, Deputy Minister of the Interior Jonathan Chen (陳純敬) said, adding however that potential implementation methods must be examined.
The implementation of such a proposal would likely raise several questions, including how ballots would be counted, or whether voters could stamp both choices simultaneously, Chen said.
“We must examine whether there would be loopholes or unfairness to other voters,” Chen said, while encouraging the advocates to provide the ministry with cases of implementation of the concept.
Chen declined to comment on whether the ministry would spearhead the proposed amendment of the voting system, saying that it was too early to tell and the ministry needed more data.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old