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進入《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Tsai makes final appeal in Taichung
Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen, second right, called on supporters yesterday to vote for Greater Taichung mayoral candidate Lin Chia-lung, Changhua County Commissioner candidate Wei Ming-ku, second left, and Nantou County Commissioner candidate Lee Wen-chung, left, in today’s nine-in-one elections. Photo: Taipei Times
BACK TO BASICS: The DPP chairperson urged voters to consider what life has been like under the KMT, as she made a flurry of final appearances in the nation’s center
By Alison Hsiao / Staff reporter, in Greater Taichung
Democratic Progressive Party （DPP） Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen （蔡英文） yesterday asked voters to assess whether they have been doing better in the past few years under Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） rule.
“If not, we must use our votes to reflect this concern. Meeting this criteria is the basic function of every government,” she said during a visit to Greater Taichung.
Tsai chose central Taiwan to make a flurry of final appeals to various electorates before election day today.
At a press conference titled You can change Taiwan tomorrow, Tsai called on the public to vote as responsible citizens, as their votes would “decide what kind of government serves the public and in what way it will serve the people in the future.”
A DPP administration had been voted out and replaced by a Chinese Nationalist Party （KMT） administration, “but we never complained about the public’s decision and at that time we just sincerely hoped that the incumbent government could [lead us to a better future],” Tsai said. “On the eve before the election, we only wish to humbly ask the public to consider how they have been doing for the past few years.”
“If you’re still hesitant about who to vote for, I plead with you to believe in the evidence of what your senses have been telling you in the past few years. If you see what we see, we ask you to use your vote to tell President Ma Ying-jeou （馬英九） that this is not the Taiwan that we want,” Tsai said. “Your vote will be a warning to the [ruling party] and would make it reflect upon itself... A one-time failure for the KMT would not result in the downfall of Taiwan; Taiwan would only get better.”
Three DPP candidates for the central Taiwan region — Greater Taichung, Changhua County and Nantou County — who have been championing the idea of “joint governance” were present at the press conference.
DPP Greater Taichung mayoral candidate Lin Chia-lung （林佳龍） showed a letter from independent Taipei mayoral candidate Ko Wen-je （柯文哲）, in which Ko called on citizens, especially the young, to decide their own future.
“We do not want city development to be kidnapped by big corporations, or mudslinging to become an effective election strategy,” Ko said in the letter. “Change can be realized from the country’s capital and be extended to central Taiwan. We hope that together we can walk toward a Taiwan of justice [after the elections].”
According to the Central Election Commission, today’s polls will be open from 8am until 4pm. Voters are required to bring their identification cards, personal seals and election notification documents with them.
Voters are forbidden from bringing mobile phones or cameras into polling stations, an offense punishable with a maximum fine of NT$300,000, the commission said, adding that people can also be punished for unknowingly posting images of the polls on Facebook.
Commission data shows that a total of 18.5 million voters across the nation are eligible to take part in the elections, in which a record 11,130 public offices are up for grabs.
The elections are set to appoint mayors and city councilors in the special municipalities of Taipei, New Taipei City, Greater Taichung, Greater Tainan, Greater Kaohsiung and Taoyuan （which is to be upgraded to a special municipality on Dec. 25）; county commissioners and mayors as well as councilors, mayors and town representatives in the other 16 counties and county-level cities; and village and borough wardens in all 22 localities.
Also being held are elections for district and council representatives in six Aboriginal areas in parts of New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Greater Taichung and Kaohsiung.（Additional reporting by CNA）
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
