A recall referendum to decide the fate of Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Alex Tsai (蔡正元) has been scheduled for Feb. 14, marking the first time the nation has held a recall vote since 1994.
The referendum comes as a victory for the Appendectomy Project, which garnered 59,898 signatories for its petition in Tsai’s constituency — Taipei’s Neihu (內湖) and Nangang (南港) districts — well above the required 38,939 signatures.
According to a report by the Chinese-language United Daily, although the Taipei City Election Committee disqualified more than 10,000 signatures — citing incomplete or erroneous information — the petition cruised past the required threshold of 13 percent of eligible voters in Tsai’s constituency.
While the petition to recall Tsai has already been validated by the Taipei City Election Committee, the Central Election Commission is not set to make its official announcement until Jan. 19, the United Daily report said.
By law, the commission must hold the referendum within 30 days of announcing the petition as valid.
Since the Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 19, the commission said it has decided to hold the referendum before the holiday break.
Members of the Appendectomy Project urged voters to “vote on romantic Valentine’s Day,” adding that the project would launch its official “recall headquarters” for the referendum on Sunday.
To recall Tsai, more than half of the votes cast in the referendum must be in favor of the move. A 50 percent turnout is also required for the referendum to be valid.
However, campaign activities leading up to the referendum might face legal complications, as the Election and Recall Act (公務人員選舉罷免法) considers all campaign activities for recall referendums illegal.
Led by Democratic Progressive Party legislator Lee Chun-yi (李俊俋), legislators passed an amendment to the act in its preliminary reading at the Legislative Yuan yesterday, in a bid to legalize campaign activities for recall referendums.
Acting commission chairperson Liu I-chou (劉義周) said that although the regulations that bar promotional activities for recall campaigns are inappropriate and outdated, the amendment would not take effect in time for the referendum — meaning that campaign activities for the recall referendum could still be considered illegal.
The Appendectomy Project’s spokesperson, known as “Mr Lin from Taipei,” (台北林先生), said that the project would nevertheless continue its advertising and mobilization efforts to ensure the referendum succeeds.
“Without canvassing efforts and other ways of promoting the referendum, it would be virtually impossible to let all local residents know about the event,” Lin said. “We will continue on with all the necessary campaign activities for the referendum to succeed.”
According to the act, organizers of campaign activities for referendums could be fined between NT$100,000 and NT$1 million (US$3,126 and US$31,260).
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