The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) expects 100,000 fewer voters for its chairmanship by-election on March 7 than in 2017, a party source said.
Today is the deadline for party members to pay their dues, allowing them eligibility to vote in the election, and the source said that the party expects only 310,000 members would be eligible to vote.
About 190,000 eligible voters are exempt from paying party dues, either because they became a senior member after 40 years or are from a middle or low-income household and at least 65 years old, the source said.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
That figure excludes more than 10,000 people who became lifetime members after paying a one-time NT$10,000 fee, the source added.
Party members from the KMT’s influential Huang Fu-hsing chapter account for about 80,000 — more than 20 percent — of the eligible voters, the source said.
The chapter is known for its ability to mobilize members during elections, and anticipates a 60 to 70 percent turnout among its members, the source said, adding that this, coupled with concerns that fear over COVID-19 might affect overall turnout, could make the chapter a determining factor in the by-election.
The number of party members who have paid their dues has increased markedly in Changhua and Pingtung counties, as well as in Kaohsiung and New Taipei City, sources said.
In Changhua, about 7,000 members paid their dues, which could have been a result of mobilization by local factions backing the two candidates: former KMT vice chairman Hau Lung-bin (郝龍斌) and KMT Legislator Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), they said.
Another source said that the spike in Changhua members paying dues was not surprising, as it has more KMT executives and members than other regions.
As of yesterday, party dues owed were mostly paid individually or by households of two or three members rather than in a lump sum by dozens of members, the source said.
Even if Chiang’s and Hau’s supporters had mobilized factions to secure voting rights, that would not have been surprising, the source added.
The KMT said that it would start compiling a roster of eligible voters from tomorrow to Wednesday before publishing it for public viewing, and eligible voters would receive a notice informing them of the by-election.
The by-election is to fill the vacancy left by former KMT chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), who stepped down last month after the party’s losses in the Jan. 11 presidential and legislative elections.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,912) for advertisements that exceed its approved business scope, requiring the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license may be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter enforcement of Chinese e-commerce platforms and measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan in response to US President Donald Trump’s heavy tariffs on China. The Legislative Yuan’s Finance Committee met today to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report. Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Kuo Kuo-wen (郭國文) said
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has fined Taobao NT$1.2 million (US$36,900) for advertisements that exceeded its approved business scope and ordered the Chinese e-commerce platform to make corrections in the first half of this year or its license would be revoked. Lawmakers have called for stricter supervision of Chinese e-commerce platforms and more stringent measures to prevent China from laundering its goods through Taiwan as US President Donald Trump’s administration cracks down on origin laundering. The legislature’s Finance Committee yesterday met to discuss policies to prevent China from dumping goods in Taiwan, inviting government agencies to report on the matter. Democratic Progressive Party
Taiwan and its Pacific ally Tuvalu on Tuesday signed two accords aimed at facilitating bilateral cooperation on labor affairs, according to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The governments inked two agreements in Taipei, witnessed by Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) and visiting Deputy Tuvaluan Prime Minister Panapasi Nelesone, MOFA said in a news release. According to MOFA, the agreements will facilitate cooperation on labor issues and allow the two sides to mutually recognize seafarers’ certificates and related training. Taiwan would also continue to collaborate with Tuvalu across various fields to promote economic prosperity as well as the well-being of their
Sung Chien-liang (宋建樑), who led efforts to recall Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Lee Kun-cheng (李坤城), was released on bail of NT$80,000 today amid outcry over his decision to wear a Nazi armband to questioning the night before. Sung arrived at the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office for questioning in a recall petition forgery case last night wearing a red armband bearing a swastika, carrying a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and giving a Nazi salute. Sung left the building at 1:15am without the armband and covering the book with his coat. Lee said today that this is a serious
RSS