By law, ballots have to be transported to offshore islands three days before an election. Taitung County picked up its 800,000-plus ballots on the 22nd and, weather permitting, will transport them to Green Island and Lanyu on the 23rd. The Taitung Weather Station says the unstable weather that has plagued Taitung this past week should start improving on the 23rd.
Due to a passing front, Taitung has been hit by torrential rains and big waves in the last few days. With four days remaining until the elections, will transportation between Taiwan proper and offshore islands be affected? In addition, how will ballots be transported back to Taiwan proper?
Huang Chia-mei, Director, Taitung Weather Station: “The weather should improve between (the 23rd) and the 25th or 26th as the front heads north.”
Weather conditions are expected to improve starting on the 23rd as the front moves away from Taitung, and ballot transport shouldn't be affected. The Taitung County Election Commission picked up 800,000-plus ballots from the Central Election Commission on the 22nd. In accordance with Central Election Commission regulations, ballots must be transported to offshore islands at least three days before voters head to the polls. The Taitung County Election Commission plans to transport ballots to offshore islands on passenger ferries on the 23rd. If ferries can't sail, the Coast Guard will step in.
Chung Ching-po, Taitung County Election Commission: “If the weather doesn't improve before (the 23rd), our boats won't be sailing. If this happens, the Coast Guard will send boats to (pick up) ballots from Green Island and Lanyu.”
The Taitung County Election Commission says ballots will be flown in if weather makes marine transport impossible.
這兩日台東縣都下起大雨，海面風浪也不小，受到鋒面過境影響，東部天氣陰晴不定，但距離投開票日剩下4天，這樣的天氣狀況會不會影響台東縣綠島和蘭嶼的交通？尤其可能會影響到離島的選票運送。
台東氣象站主任黃嘉美表示：「尤其是在鋒面北抬之後，在明日下半天之後，一直到25及26日這個期間，它的天氣是在愈來愈好的狀態之下。」
台東氣象站觀測，23日以後鋒面逐漸遠離，應該不會影響離島選票的運送。而台東縣選委會22日已經前往中選會指定的地點領取全縣的選票，總共有80多萬張，依中選會規定，必須在投票日前3天將選票運到各離島。目前縣選委會規畫，23日會用客輪運送，但如果受天氣影響，客輪無法開航，海巡艦艇會支援運送。
台東縣選委會總幹事鍾青柏表示：「萬一到禮拜三天氣沒有好轉，我們的船不發，那我們綠島跟蘭嶼的選票，海巡署的艦艇隊會派公務船來支援我們。」
台東縣選委會強調，離島選票運送還有空中運輸的備案，一定會在選前將選票送到各離島。
