Taiwan's midterm elections are coming up this Saturday. While candidates are encouraging as many people as possible to vote, pandemic restrictions will still prevent some people from making it to the voting stations.
Political candidates across Taiwan are racing to win over more support before Saturday's elections. But even some of the candidates' most loyal supporters may not be allowed to vote this year.
Taiwan's current COVID-19 policy is that people with confirmed cases need to quarantine for at least five days, starting from the day after they test positive. That means anyone who gets COVID-19 between Monday and Saturday cannot go out and vote. If people break that rule, they could be fined up to NT$2 million (US$64,000).
One woman says she agrees with the policy because people with COVID-19 could spread the disease to other voters and their families. Another person says there should be a way for confirmed cases to send in their ballots remotely. Otherwise it's possible that many people could lose their right to vote.
Hepatologist Chen Pei-che (陳培哲) says he thinks this decision is taking away people's basic rights and it's a constitutional crisis. But Health Minister Hsueh Jui-yuan (薛瑞元) says the constitution says that the government can enforce this kind of policy to maintain public order and safety.
But Chen believes the government should find a way for confirmed cases to safely vote by wearing special protective clothing or voting through video calls with official personnel. Others say some people may simply not report their COVID cases so they can still vote in the elections.
With the government resolute in its decision, predictions say up to 70,000 eligible voters will be unable to cast their ballots.
