The Central Election Commission (CEC) yesterday warned the public against using instant messaging software or social media on election day to canvass for votes for candidates in the nine-in-one elections on Saturday next week, saying that doing so could result in a fine of NT$500,000 (US$16,180).
Such action is prohibited by the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法), as is publishing or quoting polls from today, which is punishable by a fine of between NT$500,000 and NT$5 million, the commission said.
Election polls cannot be released less than 10 days before an election, it added.
Photo: Huang Yao-cheng, Taipei Times
Time stamps in instant messaging software and on social media Web sites, such as Line and Facebook, could be used as evidence when informants report infractions, the commission said.
There have been several incidents in which people or candidates were fined for canvassing for votes on election day, CEC Department of Legal Affairs Director-General Lai Chin-kuang (賴錦珖) said.
As the fines are heavy and a large majority of the public is not aware of the rules, the commission has recommended to the Ministry of the Interior that the fines be lowered to prevent people who unintentionally publicly express support for a candidate on election day from receiving a steep fine, he said.
However, until the act is amended, the fine would apply, he added.
Separately yesterday, Ministry of National Defense spokesman Major General Chen Chung-chi (陳中吉) said that the number of military personnel who will not be able to vote on election day because they are on duty would be fewer than 5,000.
Military personnel who are on duty on election day can still vote if there is enough staff to maintain national security and their constituencies are within driving distance, he said.
The military last month meticulously designed a duty roster for election day to ensure that there would be sufficient personnel to defend the nation during the polls, he added.
Regarding military personnel stationed on outlying islands, Chen said that the ministry might send them home to vote after evaluating the availability of transports.
Additional reporting by Aaron Tu
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