News
No plans for absentee voting
Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) said the government has no plans at present to allow for absentee voting.
Opposition parties in Taiwan have been pushing for absentee voting after the recent presidential election saw the second lowest voter turnout in history.
Chen said election systems would need to be strengthened and further planning and research would be needed before it could be implemented in Taiwan. Interior Minister Lin Yu-chang echoed Chen's sentiments, stating that while absentee voting could be suitable for referendums, it poses challenges for regular elections.
In February, a draft bill allowing absentee voting for referendums was approved, but it does not apply to citizens living abroad. The opposition KMT proposed extending this measure to presidential elections and including mail-in ballots but ruling DPP lawmakers expressed concerns about potential interference from China.
Turnout in recent elections in Taiwan has been declining, with factors such as the inconvenience of traveling to vote contributing to this trend.
