Referendum proposals could accompany Taiwan’s year-end local elections if lawmakers complete the required legislative procedures before the scheduled vote. Several measures introduced by opposition parties continue moving through the legislature, while the ruling party prepares to challenge their progress before voters head to the polls.
Taiwan plans to hold its nationwide local elections on Nov. 28, when citizens will choose mayors, county commissioners, city and county councilors, township leaders, and other local officials. However, lawmakers from the opposition hope voters will also decide several nationwide referendum questions during the same election.
The Chinese Nationalist Party, also known as the KMT, recently pushed forward a proposal opposing the abolition of the death penalty. Legislators sent the measure directly to its second reading before transferring it to cross-party negotiations for additional discussion. Consequently, lawmakers will continue debating the proposal before determining whether it qualifies for the next stage.
Meanwhile, the Taiwan People’s Party advanced a separate proposal that would dedicate traffic fine revenue to improving road safety programs and expanding public transportation subsidies. Legislators also forwarded that measure to party negotiations after moving it directly to its second reading.
In addition, the Taiwan People’s Party previously introduced another referendum seeking legislation to establish an absentee voting system. The proposal asks whether the government should complete the necessary legal framework within two years for elections and referendums held in Taiwan’s free area.
However, discussions surrounding absentee voting raised concerns about election administration and implementation. Therefore, party lawmakers have considered narrowing the proposal’s scope before moving it further through the legislative process.
Under the revised approach, absentee voting would apply only within Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Lienchiang counties. Furthermore, the proposal would cover only national elections, legislative races, and nationwide referendums instead of every electoral contest.
At the same time, debate continued inside the KMT regarding additional referendum measures. Party Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun initially described a proposal supporting caning as a lower legislative priority. Nevertheless, several party lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with that position shortly afterward.
Later that day, party officials confirmed they intended to place both the anti-fraud caning proposal and a referendum supporting the restart of nuclear power generation on the legislative agenda. As a result, the KMT caucus plans to move both measures directly to second readings.
If lawmakers approve every measure, Referendum proposals could appear on the same ballot as Taiwan’s local elections later this year. Even so, each proposal must still complete the legislative process before election authorities review and approve it.
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party has signaled that it will focus first on blocking the opposition-backed initiatives inside the legislature. Party officials also indicated they have no immediate plans to introduce competing referendum questions.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Rosalia Wu said the party would instead communicate directly with voters if the proposals eventually advance. She explained that campaign efforts would emphasize the qualifications and governing abilities of Democratic Progressive Party candidates while government agencies provide additional policy explanations.
Moreover, Wu urged election authorities to carefully examine every proposal before approving it for the ballot. She emphasized that each measure should fully comply with Taiwan’s Referendum Act throughout the review process.
As legislative negotiations continue, Referendum proposals remain central to Taiwan’s political debate ahead of the country’s important local elections later this year.
