A petition to recall Kaohsiung Mayor Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) has surpassed the estimated legal threshold for recognition of 300,000 signatures, a recall movement leader said on Friday.
Despite reaching the goal, the group would continue to collect signatures and build public support, We Care Kaohsiung founder Aaron Yin (尹立) said, adding that the work was essential to save the city from stagnation under Han’s leadership.
We Care Kaohsiung and its partners, including Citizens Mowing Action and the Taiwan Statebuilding Party, launched the petition at the end of June.
Photo: Chang Chung-yi, Taipei Times
According to the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法), recalling an elected official is a three-step process. Petitioners must submit a recall proposal bearing the signatures of 1 percent of voters within the original electoral district.
This is followed by the submission of a petition containing the signatures of 10 percent of the voters.
Finally, a poll must be held in which the official is recalled if at least 25 percent of eligible voters cast ballots in favor of recall and a simple majority prevails.
The groups estimated that based on Kaohsiung’s population of 2.28 million, the petition would require at least 228,000 signatures to gain legal credence, although they set a goal of 300,000 in case some signatures are declared invalid.
The law states that an elected official must serve one year before a recall proposal may be filed.
Yin said that petitioners could begin collecting signatures, as long as the petition is submitted on or after Dec. 25, when Han marks his first year in office.
Yin has said that he would ask the Central Election Commission to issue a legal interpretation to resolve the matter.
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