• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

ELECTION RESULT VALID DESPITE LOW TURNOUT: PREMIER

Central News Agency

    Taipei, May 14 (CNA) Although the turnout rate for the mission-oriented National Assembly election was only around 25 percent, the result will still be valid, Premier Frank Hsieh said Saturday.

    Hsieh made the remarks when he inspected the Central Election Commission (CEC) vote counting center shortly after the 13,910 polls islandwide closed at 4 p.m.

    The premier said the turnout rate was lower than expected. Taipei and Kaohsiung cities recorded higher than average turnout rates, while central Taiwan, because of torrential downpours, had a lower than average turnout rate. "This election is valid and there is no need to worry about the low turnout rate," Hsieh said.

    He said that the government had originally worried about not being able to distribute ballots to several areas in central Taiwan due to the torrential rain that had disrupted traffic, but helicopters were able to transport the ballots successfully.

    He lauded the CEC for its efforts in holding the first election that asked the voters to vote for the various political parties and civic groups, instead of individual candidates, taking part in the ad hoc National Assembly Election.

    Tens of thousands of election staff and security personnel were mobilized for the election.

    The CEC had wanted to hold off on a publicity drive until a bill governing the functions of the ad hoc National Assembly election passed the legislature, but it failed to clear the legislature on the eve of the election.

    After seeing the extent of voter apathy toward the election, the CEC began to step up its publicity drive and even went as far as holding a "lucky draw" for the first time, offering a top prize of NT$1 million (US$31,700) in cash, Hsieh said.

    He also said that the 25 percent turnout rate was only achieved after a vigorous publicity drive and claimed that if there had been no publicity drive, the turnout rate might have only been 10 percent.

(By Lilian Wu)

ENDITEM/J