Taipei City Government's plan to make voters line up twice to vote in the presidential election and the referendum is designed to reduce controversy and disorder on election day and completely conforms to the Cabinet's regulations, city government officials said yesterday.
City councilors from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said on Monday that the city government is trying to influence voters' behavior and force them to reveal their inclination regarding the referendum. The councilors demanded the city government to stop its interference with the election.
"Many people mistakenly believe that the city government intentionally designed voting regulations which differ from those of the Central Election Commission," said city government spokesman Wu Yu-sheng (
According to the city's plan, voters need to cast their presidential ballot first, and will then be allowed to vote in the referendum.
Wu said that Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
"The plan that the city government proposed was referred to in the brochure on election regulations printed by the Cabinet," Wu said. "Our plan completely conforms to the regulations of the Central Election Commission."
Wu said that the city decided not to set up a screen between the two voting booths because it violates the central government's regulations.
However, the city government believes that the separation of the two voting booths is necessary.
"The city government is trying to reduce possible confusion, mistakes and controversies on the election day," Wu added.
The city's Bureau of Civil Affairs will formally discuss tomorrow whether to separate the voting booths for the presidential election and the referendum in voting stations. If the bureau makes a resolution, then it will submit the plan to Taipei's Election Commission on Friday afternoon. Whether the plan will be adopted depends on the Central Election Commission's decision, Wu said.
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