The Executive Yuan has nominated former Yunlin county commissioner Lee Chin-yung (李進勇) as chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC), Cabinet spokesperson Kolas Yotaka said yesterday.
The nomination would be sent to the Legislative Yuan for review, Kolas said in a statement.
The Cabinet appointed Chuang Ching-ta (莊慶達), a professor emeritus at National Taiwan Ocean University’s Institute of Marine Affairs and Resources Management, as vice minister of the Ocean Affairs Council, Kolas said.
In addition, Huang Chin-cheng (黃金城), vice administrative minister of the Council of Agriculture, has been appointed as the council’s vice political minister, she said.
Lee has considerable experience in legal affairs and as a former local government head is familiar with election work, Kolas said, adding that as a veteran government official, he is expected to be an outstanding CEC chairman.
Lee is to succeed Chen In-chin (陳英鈐), who resigned the day after the local elections and referendums on Nov. 24 last year amid heavy criticism of his handling of the polls and subsequent vote counting.
Chen Chao-chien (陳朝建) has been overseeing the council’s work as acting chairman.
Lee was previously a judge at the Hualien, Yilan and Taichung district courts, Kolas said.
He also served as a legislator, Keelung mayor, vice minister of the interior, Public Construction Commission vice minister, vice minister of justice and vice minister of transportation and communications before winning his Yunlin post in 2014.
Lee last year failed to secure a second term, losing to Chang Li-shan (張麗善) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
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