Independent Taipei mayoral candidate Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) yesterday introduced a team of 1,500 volunteers who would be dispatched to all of the city’s poll stations for the nine-in-one local elections to monitor vote tallying.
More than 1,500 people, from 22 to 83 years old, crowded in the auditorium of a senior-high school in Taipei, and Ko, standing in front of a banner reading: “Eyes of democracy,” introduced his volunteer ballot observers to the public.
“My objective to run in the election is to turn voters into citizens and make society a civil society. From the rally of the white shirts in August last year to the protests against the cross-strait service trade agreement in March and April, younger people are certainly changing and are more actively engaged in social movements,” Ko told the volunteers.
Photo: CNA
“I hope all of you believe that you can change your own destiny, that you could change the history of Taiwan,” he added.
A university student surnamed Wei (魏), 22, who signed up as a volunteer observer, agreed with the candidate.
“I live in Zhongzheng District (中正) in Taipei, where voters are die-hard pan-blue supporters, and people always say that district voters would even vote for a dog if the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) nominates one as a candidate,” Wei said.
“However, I want to say that we, the younger generation, are different. This is my first time voting and I am not voting blue or green; I am voting for a candidate who is capable,” Wei added.
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