Taiwan's High Court ordered the sealing of all ballot boxes Sunday, one day after President Chen Shui-bian claimed victory in a close race his opponent said was marred by spoiled ballots and a mysterious assassination attempt. As violent protests against Chen's victory erupted around the island, the High Court said it needed to preserve evidence from Saturday's election. However, it did not order a recount as demanded by challenger Lien Chan. There were 13,000 polling booths around the island. While claiming victory by 30,000 votes in the presidential contest, Chen lost a simultaneous referendum to strengthen Taiwan's military. The ballot question - fiercely opposed by China, which saw it as a rehearsal for a vote on Taiwan independence - failed because not enough voters participated.
The court order came after Lien, a former vice president, said more than 330,000 ballots from Saturday's vote were spoiled and there were too many unanswered questions about Friday's assassination attempt on the president and his running mate, Vice President Annette Lu. The candidates were slightly wounded by gunfire while campaigning in southern Taiwan. Chen won with 50.1 percent of the vote, while Lien of the Nationalist Party received 49.9 percent, the Central Election Commission said. About 13 million ballots were cast for a turnout of 80 percent, the commission said. Court spokesman Wen Yao-yuan, who is also a judge, announced the order on television Sunday as hundreds of angry Taiwanese gathered outside the presidential office, waving flags and blaring air horns while clamoring for an immediate recount. Demonstrators in Taipei stayed peaceful, but angry crowds seeking a recount scuffled with police, broke windows and pushed down barriers early Sunday in Taiwan's second- and third-largest cities. The government deployed riot police as it tried to head off a political crisis that could seriously challenge Taiwan's young democracy, which has had only two other direct presidential elections in the past eight years. Chang Chun-hsiung, a top ruling party official, said checking the votes should not be a problem if the opposition can prove reasonable suspicion. "We respect their right to file the petition although we have yet to see them presenting any facts," Chang said.
| Sort of like Florida, except Pat Buchanan isn't on the ballot this time. |
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