Absentee voting for upcoming election would be ‘disastrous’: nomineeBy Sam Garcia / Staff writer, with CNAWhile absentee voting is a global trend, implementing it for the local elections in November would be a disaster at this stage, as it would involve complex logistics, Central Election Commission (CEC) chair nominee Michael You (游盈隆) said today. However, practical realities cannot be ignored, and looking at the current election system, implementing absentee voting would involve extremely complex logistics, You said. The CEC previously said that implementing absentee voting for the upcoming elections would result in nearly 9,000 different ballots and risk tarnishing Taiwan’s globally respected elections. Taiwan has never implemented absentee voting, so it is necessary to first conduct comprehensive research and consider all factors before proceeding, You said. The CEC’s current step-by-step approach is feasible, but implementing comprehensive absentee voting for the upcoming local elections is “too bold, risky and foolhardy,” he said.

Source: Taipei Times January 28, 2026 07:40 UTC