Voters should behave calmly at polling stations and not engage in activities that could influence or interfere with voting, and violators face up to a year in prison, said Li Jinyong, chairman of Taiwan’s Central Election Commission. This is quoted by the Taipei Times.
⠀
“Any forms of campaigning are prohibited from midnight, including reposting content in support of a particular candidate or party in instant messengers such as Line, as well as on social networks such as Facebook,” Li Jinyong said.
⠀
According to the chairman of the island’s Central Election Commission, violators will have to pay a fine of 100 thousand to 1 million Taiwan dollars (from 3.2 thousand to 32.1 thousand US dollars). At the same time, political parties, candidates and their representatives face fines ranging from 200 thousand to 2 million Taiwan dollars (6.4 thousand – 64.3 thousand US dollars) for violations.
⠀
Li Jinyong also stressed that voters should remain quiet at polling stations and not engage in activities that could influence or interfere with voting within a 30-meter radius of the polling station.
⠀
“Those who make noise or engage in activities that could interfere with voting and refuse to obey orders from security authorities at polling stations face up to a year in prison or a fine of NT$15,000 (US$482 ),” the CEC chairman said.
⠀
Recording devices are prohibited from being used in voting booths, with the exception of disabled communication devices. The fine for this violation ranges from 30 thousand to 300 thousand Taiwanese dollars (964 – 9.6 thousand US dollars). Destruction of a ballot is punishable by a fine of 5 thousand to 50 thousand Taiwanese dollars (160 – 1.6 thousand US dollars). If a voter removes the ballot from the polling station, he faces a year in prison or a fine of NT$15,000 ($482), Li Jinyong said.
⠀
Polling stations for the election of the head of the administration and deputies of the Legislative Yuan (Parliament) of Taiwan opened on Saturday at 8.00 and will remain open until 16.00, immediately after their closure the manual counting of ballots will begin. Electronic, absentee or early voting is not provided.
⠀
The head of the administration is elected by universal suffrage, the winner is the candidate with the most votes; there is no second round. The election result should be clear by Saturday evening. The inauguration of the election winner is scheduled for May 20, 2024.
