Taipei: The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced on Thursday that Taiwan's upcoming nine-in-one local elections, scheduled for November 28, will see the election of 11,051 officials. Approximately 19.65 million individuals are anticipated to be eligible to vote in these comprehensive local elections.

According to Focus Taiwan, CEC Chairman Michael You highlighted the potential scale of the electoral process, noting that if the elections coincide with referendums, the number of election workers required could exceed 300,000. This would mark the endeavor as a particularly expansive democratic exercise. You addressed the media during a CEC news conference, where he responded to questions prior to the official election announcement being posted.

The nine-in-one elections encompass a wide range of positions, including city and county mayoral posts, local council seats, and various other local public offices. You disclosed that the elections will span 8,906 electoral districts and involve 18,244 polling stations, necessitating the mobilization of nearly 250,000 election workers, a figure that excludes those needed for potential referendums.

Among the 19.65 million eligible voters, around 600,000 are expected to be first-time voters. With 100 days remaining until the election, You assured that the CEC, alongside local election commissions, is committed to ensuring the elections are conducted professionally and smoothly, thereby showcasing the vitality and resilience of Taiwan's democratic processes both domestically and internationally.

The CEC had initially planned to review three referendum proposals, recently passed by the Legislature, at a meeting on Friday. However, due to receiving the Legislative Yuan's official notice only late Tuesday, the review has been deferred to August 28. This postponement allows the CEC to conduct a thorough review of the proposals in compliance with legal requirements.

In response to inquiries about the potential approval of the referendum proposals, You emphasized that decisions are made collectively by all eight commissioners under the CEC's collegial system, and no conclusions have yet been reached.

Addressing concerns about the timing of vote counting should the elections coincide with referendums, You referred to the 2022 local elections, which were held alongside a referendum on constitutional amendments. He noted that vote counting in 2022 concluded at 11:40 p.m., but if two or three referendum votes occur this year, the process could extend past midnight.