COVID-19 Voters Can't Cast Ballot "Unconstitutional"? 確診者不能投票無配套 恐引憲政危機

Under the government's COVID-19 quarantine policy, confirmed cases are not allowed to leave their residences, which would make voting impossible for people with COVID-19. Scholars and civil organizations think it's a breach on civil and political rights, but the Taiwanese government insists on a NT$2 million heavy fine for COVID-positive voters if they are found to break their mandatory quarantine to vote. 

Whether people currently testing positive for COVID-19 are allowed to leave the house to go cast their ballots at the voting booth is one of the latest debates in Taiwan. Academician Chen Pei-jer from Academia Sinica said prohibiting COVID-19-positive voters from voting in the Nov. 26 local elections violates legally protected political rights. The government should provide Plan B for COVID patients instead of fining them heavily for going outdoors to vote. Chen suggested providing COVID patients with personal protective equipment (PPE) to solve the problem.

Chen I-hsin, Legislator (KMT): “It is unconstitutional to block people from voting. The government should quickly come up with a Plan B, time is almost up. Let's plan for COVID patients to wear PPE about an hour beforehand so they can go vote when voting starts.”

Ho Chih-wei, Legislator (DPP): “I'm more concerned with people who are not being truthful about being COVID-positive going out to vote. This could cause more infections. All in all, it is not an easy decision to make, I admit. If permissible, I would be supportive of coming up with measures to help COVID-positive patients vote.”

For fear of later disputes and possible lawsuits, lawmakers from various parties all urge the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) and related agencies to come up with a solution since the election is less than a week away. CECC Commander Victor Wang replied saying it is not easy teaching people how to wear PPE properly. Besides, it is crucial for COVID patients to remain in the house, Wang said. 

Victor Wang, CECC Commander: “You should not leave your house. You are not supposed to go out to do anything at all. I'm not blocking people from voting, it's just that it's not so simple. It makes other people nervous seeing COVID-patients in personal protective equipment. You don't know what kind of psychological effects that may bring. So I don't think it's feasible to just have people wear protective suits.”

Hsueh Jui-yuan, Minister, MOHW: “Article 23 of the Constitution of the Republic of China does state that people should be able to exercise various freedoms and rights, but they can be restricted to maintaining social order.”

According to the current "5+n" quarantine policy, people who have reported to be confirmed with COVID-19 on the 21st and beyond are not allowed to vote on the 26th. 

選戰倒數，各政黨候選人卯足全力，在最後關頭拚選情，但確診者能否外出投票持續引發討論。中研院士陳培哲認為，確診者出門投票重罰，但政府沒有提供其他投票方式，等於是剝奪人民參政權，有憲政危機，必須有其他可行的投票方式。更提出建議，可以讓確診者穿隔離衣投票，解決所有問題。

國民黨籍立委陳以信指出：「已經有觸犯憲法、違反憲法保障人民選舉權的一個狀況。跟我們政府安排替代投票的方案，可以說是嚴重地延宕。我們可以設計前面一個小時的時間，讓確診者能夠穿防護衣來進行投票。」

民進黨籍立委何志偉認為：「比較擔心會不會有隱匿確診的問題，讓民眾不能投票，然後又有造成這個所謂感染的問題。的確，要做這個決定都不簡單，如果可以的話，我會支持（場域或其他規劃）客製化的幫他們（確診者）做一個投票的動作。」

朝野立委也呼籲相關單位要趕快說清楚，才不會引發後續的訴訟等政治風暴。但指揮中心指揮官王必勝認為，確診者是「不能離開居所」，而且整套隔離衣的穿戴也並非很簡單，還需要教，所以可行性不高。

指揮中心指揮官王必勝表示：「不能離開居所，他至於去做什麼事都不可以，並不是單純只不讓他投票。那你穿著隔離衣到投票所，對其他投票的人心理上的影響，或實質上的影響又是什麼？可行性不高啦。」

衛福部長薛瑞元：「憲法23條，防止妨礙他人自由，那維護公共的這個秩序，本來就可以以法律定之。」

依照目前5+n的防疫規定，21日開始被通報確診、又有投票權的民眾，將無法外出投票。能否有其他方式，維護民眾選舉權的同時，又不會影響防疫，依然是各界關注焦點。