Focus Taiwan
Date: 2016/01/17
By: Tai Ya-chen, Chen Chun-hua and Frances Huang

Taipei, Jan. 17 (CNA) The turnout in Taiwan’s presidential election was the lowest ever in the six direct presidential elections the country has held since 1996, according to data compiled by the Central Election Committee (CEC).

The CEC said turnout in Saturday’s presidential vote was 66.27 percent, compared with 76.04 percent in 1996, 82.7 percent in 2000, 80.28 percent in 2004, 76.33 percent in 2008, and 74.38 percent in 2012.

The turnout figures were part of the CEC’s formal announcement late Saturday that Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), the chairwoman and candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP, 民進黨) was elected president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in the vote held the same day.

CEC Chairman Liu Yi-chou (劉義周) said Tsai and her running mate — Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) — won 6.89 million votes or 56.12 percent of the total valid votes cast.

It was a victory that had been widely anticipated for months, which may have been one of the factors contributing to the low turnout.     [FULL  STORY]