TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Premier Cho Jung-tai (卓榮泰) on Thursday addressed online rumors about changes to polling station locations in Taichung, urging consistency and transparency in the selection process.

While acknowledging it may be too late to relocate polling stations deemed inappropriate, Cho stressed that authorities must clearly document the reasons behind each site selection, per CNA. He called on the Central Election Commission to strengthen oversight of local election commissions to prevent similar controversies in the future.

The rumors began circulating online, suggesting that some polling stations for the July 26 recall vote had been moved to less accessible locations, per Newtalk. In response, former DPP legislator Chuang Ching-cheng (莊競程) on Tuesday urged the public to closely monitor the election and report any irregularities to poll watchers.

Taichung City Secretary-General Huang Chung-tien (黃崇典) said the changes stemmed from scheduling conflicts or reluctance from venue owners, per UDN. Some original sites were either already booked or no longer available for lending, he said.

The Taiwan FactCheck Center investigated the claims and found that 11 of the 19 polling stations remain the same as those used during the 2024 general election. For the eight changes, the center concluded that each had a legitimate reason and that the new locations are close to the previous ones—not deliberately relocated to remote areas.

The Taichung City Election Commission also clarified that most polling stations are located in public institutions, including schools, community centers, and administrative offices, per CNA.