TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A woman in Kaohsiung City could face charges after her daughter tore her ballot during voting Saturday (Jan. 13).
Laws bar voters from damaging ballot papers, taking pictures, or revealing the ballot to other voters. The actions are regarded as offenses against the Election and Recall Act.
A woman surnamed Lee (李) took her daughter along to vote in the Fengshan District before 9 a.m., per CNA. Vote officials allowed the girl to enter because she was younger than 6.
When the mother prepared to cast her ballot for a political party, her daughter tried to take the paper away, inadvertently tearing it up, according to a police report.
The voting center’s manager called in a police officer, who took both mother and daughter to the local precinct for questioning. Lee said the girl had been playing, and had no intention of ripping up the ballot papers. Police decided to hand the case over to the Kaohsiung District Prosecutors Office and the Kaohsiung Election Commission.
According to reports by Taiwan Television (TTV), 43 incidents were reported across Taiwan by noon, mostly with voters ripping up ballots or taking pictures. About 19.5 million people were eligible to vote for a new president, vice president, and 113 legislators.
