DPP Nantou County councilor survives recall vote

Taipei, July 13 (CNA) Chen Yu-ling (陳玉鈴), a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Nantou County councilor survived a recall vote to remove her from office on Sunday, according to a press release from the Central Election Commission (CEC).

According to the ballot results, 12,160 voters supported the recall, while 5,867 opposed it, for a total of 18,027 valid votes out of 18,171 cast. The CEC said this represented a voter turnout of 31.76 percent of the 57,207 eligible voters.

Although 67.45 percent of valid ballots supported the recall, it failed to pass because the number of favorable votes did not exceed one-quarter of all eligible voters, which is the legal threshold for a recall under the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, the CEC said.

The act also stipulates that when a recall is not passed, the same person cannot be recalled for the remainder of his or her term in office, the CEC noted.

According to the CEC, the recall results will be reviewed and officially announced on July 18.

In response, Nantou County Magistrate Hsu Shu-hua (許淑華) of the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) said the recall received more support than opposition, indicating that many voters want President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) and the ruling party to reflect on their governance

She also said the election system needed review, as Chen only needed about 5,000 votes to be elected a councilor, but nearly 15,000 votes were required to recall her.

Meanwhile, Chen thanked her constituents for their support.

In response to the votes supporting her recall, Chen said she would "deeply reflect" on her shortcomings.

Upcoming recall votes include 24 targeting lawmakers from the KMT, as well as one for suspended Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao (高虹安) scheduled for July 26. Additional votes for KMT lawmakers Ma Wen-chun (馬文君) and Yu Hao (游顥) in Nantou County are set for Aug. 23.

Recall proposals for five other KMT lawmakers -- Lo Ming-tsai (羅明才), Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔), Yen Kuan-heng (顏寬恒), and Lin Szu-ming (林思銘) -- are still under review by the CEC and could be decided as early as July 18.