CEC to Separate Referendums and Elections?|大選公投"應"一同舉辦 擬改為"得"合併舉辦

Lee Chin-yung assumed his new position as chairperson of the Central Election Commission on June 3. He said he hopes to improve election-related matters and reduce the workload of election officials. He also shared his views on whether referendums should be held with elections.


In 2018, referendums were held in conjunction with local elections, and the result was extensive chaos. Lee Chin-yung assumed the chairmanship of the Central Election Commission on June 3, and immediately shared his vision on how to improve election-related affairs, including reducing the workload of election officials starting from the source. He also spoke about possible amendments to the Referendum Act, which stipulate that general elections and referendums "can" be held together instead of the current "should" be held together. The CEC will also establish a standard so that only a certain number of referendums can be held with general elections. The Kuomintang was not convinced. It questioned why the Democratic Progressive Party is already intentionally manipulating elections when amendments to the Referendum Act have not even passed.

Lee Chin-yung's statements yesterday (June 3) were extremely irresponsible, and they were obviously benefiting the Democratic Progressive Party. We will find a time to call on him to ask him to explain himself clearly.

The issue of extending the voting period needs to be reviewed and improved on, so I support the new chairperson's method. We need to review how to improve these issues.

Former Vice President Annette Lu also expressed her displeasure. She spoke out against the stipulation in the Executive Yuan's amendments to the Referendum Act requiring people to provide copies of their national identity cards when signing referendum proposals, and said separating elections and referendums is equivalent to depriving the right to referendums and obstructing direct democracy.

You can't treat your headache by sawing off someone else's foot, and it's also the foot of the entire population that is being sawed off. The Kuomintang established the birdcage referendum, and the Democratic Progressive Party is making amendments to change it into an iron cage referendum.

In response to all this criticism, CEC Vice Chairperson Chen Chao-chien said the Executive Yuan draft bill makes adjustments by amending laws to allow people to choose calmly. Chen added the CEC respects the Legislative Yuan version. In mid-May, the DPP forwarded the draft bill proposed by DPP Legislator Chiang Chieh-an to a second reading without a committee review. The Executive Yuan version is also under discussion. The Executive Yuan hopes the third readings can be completed during the extraordinary legislative session as soon as possible.



有鑑於去年底公投綁大選、選務混亂，中選會主委李進勇一上任，就談到改進選務的願景，希望從源頭減量，考量未來公投法一旦修法通過，大選、公投由「應」一同舉辦，改為「得」合併舉辦，中選會也將訂出一個標準，一定數量內的公投，才能夠合併大選舉行。不過，李進勇的說法，引來藍營不滿，認為公投法還沒修法通過，綠營就意圖操控大選。

國民黨立委 曾銘宗表示：「昨天（06/03）李進勇的講法，非常不負責任，完全傾向民進黨，我們會找時間去拜訪他，請他講清楚說明白。」

民進黨立委 葉宜津表示：「延長了投票時間，這個都需要檢討改善的，所以我贊成新主委的作法，我們應該來檢討，怎麼樣來改善這些問題。」

不只藍營不滿，前副總統呂秀蓮也對政院版要求連署時，必須附身分證影本，而且明定公投和大選脫鉤，等於變相剝奪公投權，阻撓直接民主。

前副總統 呂秀蓮表示：「但是頭痛是要鋸掉別人的腿，而是鋸到全國公民的腿，國民黨定下鳥籠公投，民進黨修改為鐵籠公投。」

對於各界批評，中選會副主委陳朝建回應，強調政院版是從修法源頭調整，讓民眾可以從容選擇；至於立院的修法版本，中選會予以尊重。由於5月中旬，民進黨團已經將綠委蔣絜安的公投法修正版本，逕付二讀，加上還有政院版，政院期盼公投法修法能在立院臨時會，儘速完成三讀。