Lawmakers Propose Absentee Voting Amendments Ahead of 2026 Local Elections

TaiwanPlus News

The opposition coalition of the Kuomintang and Taiwan People's Party have proposed an amendment to allow voters to submit ballots from anywhere within Taiwan. But the ruling Democratic Progressive Party says they have concerns about voter fraud and foreign interference, instead proposing a holiday to allow people to get back to their registered voting locations. This comes ahead of critical 2026 local elections, where mayorships and city council positions are up for grabs.

Transcript

00:00Mayoral hopefuls from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party rally supporters in Kaohsiung.

00:05The southern city is one of four races in Taiwan's 2026 local elections

00:09where the incumbent mayors are reaching their term limits,

00:12and new talent are hoping for the chance to make a difference.

00:16Although the race is a year away, local elections are often viewed as precursors to the presidential vote

00:22and as a gauge of public support for each party.

00:25And that's a key metric, as Taiwan's government is currently split between the DPP

00:29and an opposition bloc composed of the Kuomintang and the smaller Taiwan People's Party.

00:35Vying for every vote they can, lawmakers are pushing to allow absentee voting.

00:42By law, voters must return to where their household is registered,

00:46which is often not where they live or work.

00:48But the opposition wants people to be able to vote from anywhere within the country.

00:52I hope the民進黨 will be able to look at the world and the countries.

00:57The election of the DPP has already become a standard.

01:01Don't let the election of the election of the DPP be a red flag.

01:05It may be because of school and work,

01:08it may not be able to vote for the young people to vote.

01:12Lawmakers from the DPP have concerns.

01:14Election interference has long been a key issue in Taiwan,

01:17and China often tries to influence results

01:19using outright manipulation or online influence campaigns.

01:39Instead, the DPP has proposed a different way

01:41to give voters more time to get home,

01:43letting them take off work the day before an election.

01:46Each party's proposals will be sent to committee

01:48for review and revision.

02:02With a year to go before the high-stakes 2026 local elections,

02:06the rules of the game could still change,

02:08making it a race like never before.

02:11Scott Huang and Tiffany Wong for Taiwan Plus.

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