Many young people are seeking candidacy in next year’s local elections, but registration for a party’s primary costs between NT$400,000 and NT$600,000 (US$13,289 and US$19,933) — the average annual salary for young workers, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) officials said.
The nine-in-one elections, which are conducted through a multiple-seat constituency system, are to take place on either Nov. 24 or Dec. 1 next year, pending a final decision by the Central Election Comission.
The DPP charges varying fees for participation in primary elections, with the rate for constituencies in the six special municipalities differing from those of other cities and counties.
It usually costs NT$600,000 to register as a DPP special municipality councilor candidate, which includes a NT$300,000 registration fee, polling costs of NT$200,000 and a NT$100,000 deposit, which is returned if candidates do not violate any election rules, the officials said.
A candidate who has successfully obtained the desired nomination has to pay an additional NT$200,000 deposit to the party’s Central Election Commission, an expense that has to be borne by the candidate alone.
The registration fees for councilor candidates in other municipalities vary from one place to another.
DPP Yilan County chapter director Lin Chin-tsai (林進財) said candidates who wish to participate in the county’s DPP primary election have to pay a NT$120,000 registration fee, a deposit of NT$120,000 and a polling deposit of NT$200,000.
The polling deposit is returned if no opinion polls are held.
Candidates must also sign a promissory note of NT$1.5 million as a deposit to be used if financial penalties are collectively imposed on the DPP, as well as on the candidates, in case they are found guilty of bribery during the election, Lin said.
An incumbent DPP councilor said young people without a prominent family background or the support of party factions were unlikely to raise the minimum sum needed for participation in the primary election.
Candidates in a primary election cannot raise funds, as primary election candidacy does not fulfill the requirements to open a bank account for political donations, the councilor said, adding that he had had to borrow money from friends and relatives to enter a primary election.
Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) said the DPP should lower the price for young candidates to increase the party’s social relevance and encourage political participation by younger people.
The DPP’s nomination mechanism, which bases nominations on the results of opinion polls, poses difficulties for first-time participants and young candidates, while the high deposit sum has stopped younger people from participating, Lin Chia-lung said.
The deposit system has prevented over-participation in elections, but other preventative measures are possible, such as requiring candidates to collect a minimum number of signatures endorsing their candidacy, DPP Legislator Chung Chia-pin (鍾佳濱) said.
While NT$600,000 could prove a hurdle for young candidates, it is not unreasonable, as candidates have to raise much more money to pay for the campaign, Chung said.
Fundraising ability is a key requirement of candidates and first-time candidates have to put together at least NT$2 million to compete in the primary, said DPP staff members, speaking on condition of anonymity.
New Power Party (NPP) organization department director Lin Yu-jung (林郁容) said his party does not demand any fee to take part in its primary elections and it helps candidates pay the deposit demanded by the electoral authority
The party helps its candidates pay deposits of between NT$120,000 and NT$200,000 to the commission to ease their financial burden, he said.
Having to pay millions in deposits is a large monetary burden on the NPP, as it is a small party, he said.
However, the party would still strive to contribute to individual candidates’ campaign expenses to promote young and outstanding political talent, Lin said.
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