High Null Vote Rates in Chiayi's Nine-in-one Elections 嘉義縣結果不如預期 選舉廢票比率偏高

Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang of the DPP was reelected in the recent nine-in-one elections. Prior to the elections, he had formed a pan-green team with the aim of boosting the chances of local DPP candidates. This strategy did not work, with the DPP losing key elections.

This campaign ad featured Chiayi County Magistrate Weng Chang-liang and pan-green candidates for township and city leadership positions. They expressed their determination to be elected together as a team. Weng was reelected after receiving 70,000 more votes than KMT candidate Wang Yu-min. However, the proportion of invalid ballots in the election was much higher than the national average. A total of 284,490 ballots were cast, and nearly 4 percent, or 11,196 ballots, were invalid.

Weng Chang-liang, Magistrate, Chiayi County: “With regards to this situation that arose in the voting stations, we thank everyone for their encouragement and we will continue to work hard.”

The national average was only 2.5 percent, which was much lower than Chiayi's 4 percent. Weng said this situation is worth considering. The pan-green team's performance in the elections was disappointing. For example, the pan-green candidates in Taibao City; Puzi City; Minxiong Township, considered to be the DPP's stronghold in the county; and Yizhu Township, Weng's hometown, all lost.

Tsai Jung-hsiang, Professor, Dept. & Grad. Inst. of Political Science, CCU: “It could be that there were some people who were fed up with the political situation and didn't like either party.”

Resident: “You want to stamp it, but then again you don't want this to affect the election outcome.”

Scholars say many ballots may have been cast in anger over dissatisfaction with the two major political parties. Weng said people express their feelings through ballots and his team will take the results to heart.

國嘉隊形象廣告由嘉義縣長翁章梁與泛綠鄉鎮市長候選人共同入鏡，宣示要全部當選的決心，擔任母雞角色的翁章梁這次開票大勝國民黨嘉義縣長候選人王育敏7萬多票，順利連任，但也出現廢票比率偏高的現象，全縣投票數28萬4490，無效票數1萬1196，達接近4%。

嘉義縣長翁章梁表示：「這次選票所呈現出現的現象，我們謝謝大家對我們的鼓勵，我們會繼續努力。」

嘉義縣廢票率高過全國平均值2.5％，翁章梁說，這個現象值得深思，而國嘉隊的表現也不如預期，像是嘉義縣的太保、朴子及全縣最大票倉民雄鄉還有翁章梁的家鄉義竹鄉等鄉鎮市長的候選人都敗選。

中正大學政治學系教授蔡榮祥指出：「有可能就是說對政治上有一些比較反感的人，會覺得說他不喜歡兩個政黨。」

有民眾表示：「會想要去蓋一個章，但是不想要讓這個影響到選舉結果。」

學者研判是對藍綠惡鬥的時局不滿而投下的憤怒票，不過翁章梁強調，民眾透過選票表達的心聲，他們都會認真看待。