PDF(2.7mb) - 國家政策研究基金會

Referendums in Taiwan in 2008 125
Referendums in Taiwan in 2008
SWEI, Duh-ching
Abstract
President Chen Shui-bian called two “defensive” referendums on March 20, 2004.
They were held alongside the presidential election. Four more were called in 2008. None of
them were voted on by half of the electorate. They were invalidated.
Two of them were proposed by the Democratic Progressive Party. The Kuomintang
initiated the other two.
Voters went to the polls in January to vote on two referendums and elect a new Legislative
Yuan. Two months later, they elected their new president but the two other referendums
were rejected. Too many of them refused to vote on the referendums, which the Democratic
Progressive Party had designed to raise the voter turnout that would help its candidates.
The results of the legislative and presidential elections show counties and cities where
voter support for the Kuomintang was strong had a lower voter turnout for the referendums.
Those counties and cities where voter support was strong for the Democratic Progressive
Party saw more voters turn out to vote on the referendums.