Close Calls in Pingtung: Southstate Township's Recall Attempts Fail

Divisions Emerge as Two Recall Efforts in Taiwan's Southstate Township are Rejected.

Yesterday, voters in Pingtung County's Southstate Township, Taiwan, cast their ballots on recall attempts against two representatives: Vice Chairman Yeh Jun-wei and Representative Tang Chih-hsiung. The results saw both recall motions fall short of the required thresholds, sparking contrasting reactions within the community.

Yeh Jun-wei's recall attempt came agonizingly close, with the "yes" votes trailing the required margin by a mere 26 votes, or 0.59%. This narrow defeat led to celebratory fireworks from Yeh's camp, reflecting a palpable sense of relief.

The Pingtung County Election Commission announced the results, revealing a total of 4,277 eligible voters across the two recall elections. The turnout for both votes exceeded 37%. Despite the strong voter participation, both recall motions ultimately failed to secure the necessary support for removal.

Conversely, supporters of the Tang Chih-hsiung recall expressed disappointment, highlighting the tight margins and missed opportunity to unseat Yeh Jun-wei.