The Central Election Commission (CEC) yesterday announced that nearly 90 percent of the space needed to hold a vote on whether to recall Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) has been secured, after city agencies limited voting space.
The Kaohsiung Education Bureau and Kaohsiung Civil Affairs Bureau previously said that they would limit space in schools and temples to be used for the vote, citing COVID-19 prevention measures.
The vote is to take place on June 6.
Photo: Wang Jung-hsiang, Taipei Times
The CEC yesterday said that of the 1,823 venues it hoped to use, 1,622 have so far been secured — a total of 88.97 percent of the space needed, adding that it still needs to work out arrangements for voting stations in the city’s Sanmin (三民), Fongshan (鳳山) and Lingya (苓雅) districts.
As of yesterday, the CEC had secured 51.85 percent of the 189 venues it needs in Sanmin, 67.54 percent of the 228 venues it needs in Fongshan and 68.97 percent of the 116 venues it needs in Lingya, it said.
The city’s departments had been gradually reducing the number of venues they had agreed to provide, the CEC said, adding that they had initially agreed to provide 1,513 venues, which was reduced to 1,367 in a second report to the commission, and to 1,182 in a third report.
However, after negotiations the CEC was able to secure 1,622 of the venues needed, it said.
Meanwhile, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Kaohsiung City Councilor Kang Yu-cheng (康裕成) yesterday said a poll showed that Sanmin residents formed the largest group in support of recalling Han, accounting for 14 percent of the total figure citywide.
This meant the district also had the greatest need in terms of polling stations, Kang said, adding that it is still lacking 48 percent of the venues needed.
Kang and fellow DPP Kaohsiung City Councilor Ho Chuan-feng (何權峰) appealed to city government agencies to safeguard city residents’ right to vote, and implored “those with ill intent” to stay out of the voting process.
Of the venues needed in the three districts still trying to secure space, 70 percent should be schools and 14 percent should be public recreation centers, the two councilors said.
“There are still 91 places where we don’t have venues. Are you saying these places don’t even have sports fields we can use? Are there borough wardens who want to lend space, but are getting obstructed by district offices?” Ho asked.
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