Jaw Shaw-kong Indicted Over Display of Marked Ballot in Recall Vote

Media personality and politician Jaw Shaw-kong was indicted on September 23, 2023, for displaying a marked ballot during a recall vote held on July 26. The incident occurred at a polling station in Taipei, where Jaw showcased his marked ballot to the media while voting on a measure to recall 31 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers and one city mayor.

According to the Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office, Jaw had already filled out his ballot when he displayed it, despite being warned by a polling station worker not to do so. After briefly allowing the media to photograph his marked vote, he placed it in the ballot box. Prosecutors noted that revealing a marked ballot violates election laws, which could lead to a maximum penalty of two years in prison or a fine of NT$200,000 under articles 88 and 105 of the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act.

Jaw’s actions were reported to the police promptly. He was later summoned by prosecutors for questioning, where he expressed regret for the incident, claiming he merely wanted to demonstrate that he had participated in the vote, not to reveal his voting choice. Jaw characterized the legal proceedings as an unnecessary burden and a misuse of judicial resources.

As a well-known media figure with significant experience in elections, prosecutors emphasized that Jaw should have been aware of the legal restrictions regarding ballot privacy. Following his indictment, Jaw reaffirmed his respect for the legal system and stated he had cooperated fully with the investigation. He expressed hope that prosecutors would consider not pursuing the case further or would offer deferred prosecution.

Jaw Shaw-kong, who served as a KMT lawmaker from the late 1980s to the early 1990s, has maintained a prominent role in Taiwanese media and politics. He was a candidate for vice president on the KMT ticket in the previous year’s elections but did not succeed. Following the indictment, he pledged to exercise greater caution in the future regarding election protocols.