Three Hong Kong-born Taiwanese are facing the prospect of a one-year prison sentence or a NT$15,000 fine for allegedly removing ballots from a polling place in New Taipei City during Saturday’s local elections.
The three people — aged 55, 52 and 21 — are suspected of removing ballots for borough warden after casting votes in the mayoral and city councilor elections, as well as the referendum on a Constitutional amendment that sought to lower the voting age from 20 to 18, police said.
It appeared that the three removed the ballots as they did not intend to vote for candidates they were not familiar with, they said.
Photo: Reuters
The three are under investigation by New Taipei City prosecutors for allegedly contravening the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法), police added.
A total of 70 incidents involving 72 people allegedly contravening the act occurred during the local elections, the National Police Agency said.
For Hong Kongers who have been living in Taiwan for relatively long and are able to vote, local elections have become a significant part of their “Taiwan experience.”
One former Hong Konger talked about her voting experiences and observations about major political events that have shaped the country’s political scene.
The significant events included the transfer of power between the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), and the 2014 Sunflower movement, which started as a protest over a pending trade-in-services agreement with China, the person said.
Calling herself a “floating voter,” the Hong Konger, who was born in the 1970s and has lived in Taiwan for more than 20 years, said she had learned to pick the right candidate instead of leaning toward any particular party.
“I have little hope that the election system in Hong Kong can be improved, but I am happy that I can somehow take part in [democracy] through voting in Taiwan,” she said.
Another Hong Konger, who moved to Taiwan when she was young, said she hoped Taiwan could continue to enjoy democratic elections.
People also need to break the stereotypes associated with the DPP and KMT, she added.
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