Recall votes to be suspended in areas with typhoon office closures

Taipei, July 23 (CNA) The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced Wednesday that recall votes will be suspended in areas where local governments declare school and office closures due to an approaching typhoon.

The announcement came as Tropical Storm Francisco formed northeast of the Philippines earlier in the day and is projected to draw nearest to Taiwan on Thursday and Friday, just ahead of the recall votes on Saturday.

If local governments announce exceptional situations for local areas, the CEC and local election commissions will act according to the Public Officials Election And Recall Act, the agency added.

The CEC said it will closely monitor the latest weather conditions.

To deal with any unexpected situations related to the recall votes on Saturday, the CEC has established a response center to guide and supervise local election commissions and coordinate with relevant agencies, it said.

Recall votes for 24 opposition Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers and suspended Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao (高虹安) are scheduled for July 26, while recall elections for seven other KMT lawmakers are scheduled for Aug. 23.