Election commission makes proposal

The Central Election Commission proposed several changes to election rules yesterday to deal with what it says are shortcomings in regulations made apparent by the Dec. 1 elections.

One of the changes includes banning the participation of foreigners in campaign activities. Another would prohibit committee members of the election commission from taking part in campaign events.

The commission has proposed the changes to the Public Officials Election and Recall Law.

In the lead up to the Dec. 1 polls, Hwang Kun-hu (黃崑虎), a national policy advisor and a member on the election committee, was accused of violating election rules after he appeared at a campaign rally for DPP Tainan County commissioner candidate Su Huan-chih (蘇煥智).

Hwang said his appearance at the rally didn't break any rules, arguing that election laws don't prohibit committee members of the election commission from attending campaign activities.

Last month, Executive Yuan officials said that Hwang's participation in the campaign rally was "inappropriate."

Hwang was not available for comment yesterday.

The election commission also hopes to prevent foreigners from campaigning for candidates for public office.

In the days before the Dec. 1 polls, Tu Cheng Chun-chu (涂鄭春菊), a native Taiwanese who holds a German passport, was criticized for campaigning for independent legislative candidate Hsieh Tsung-min (謝聰敏).

Tu's participation in the campaign raised the issue of whether foreigners should be allowed to attend campaign events in support of candidates. Current regulations do not speak to the issue.

The election commission yesterday also proposed banning the publishing of opinion polls 10 days prior to an election.

The move comes after criticism that opinion polls cost many leading incumbent legislative candidates their seats.

Voters, the reasoning goes, decided to cast their ballots for trailing candidates because they thought that the leading candidates would win anyway.

The election commission plans to submit the proposed changes to the Ministry of the Interior in May.