The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) plans to enlist more than 17,000 volunteers to monitor the vote-counting process during the presidential and legislative elections on Jan. 13 next year, TPP Chairman and presidential candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) said yesterday.
There would likely be more than 17,000 polling stations across Taiwan for the elections, and the TPP hopes to have at least one volunteer at each to “safeguard Taiwan’s democracy,” Ko told a news conference in New Taipei City.
Political parties generally have people posted at polling stations to ensure that basic procedures are followed and to monitor the vote-counting process. They also report back the tallies to their party headquarters.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
Ko did not say when the recruiting drive would begin or end, but the party said that volunteers had to meet several criteria.
They must be eligible to vote, but cannot be candidates themselves or relatives of candidates, the TPP said.
They cannot be active military personnel, members or employees of an election commission at any level of government or polling station staff members, the TPP said, adding that they must also be under the age of 72 and be healthy enough to perform monitoring duties.
Ko also announced the launch of his campaign tour. He is to travel around Taiwan in a campaign bus in a clockwise direction, first stopping in Yilan County.
The former Taipei mayor had little to say about efforts to form a joint ticket for the presidential election with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and its presidential candidate New Taipei Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜).
Whatever happened, the TPP “would make the most of each day to connect with the people and learn their concerns,” Ko said.
KMT Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) said that he, Hou and Ko would meet soon to discuss the issue.
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