2012

CALD Taiwan Election Mission
4-9 January 2012 | Taipei-Yilan-Taoyuan-Taichung
Three little piggy banks offered by young triplets to the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) inspired a fundraising campaign that soon became a moving story of how the weak can confront the strong. Face by a formidable opponent that has been describe as one of the wealthiest political parties in the world, DPP took to a fund-raising drive for the 2012 presidential and legislative elections that saw it disturbing thousands of piggybanks across Taiwan. It eventually raised the equivalent of US$ 6.7 million from those piggy banks that DPP supporters filled and returned to the party – which only shows that the support of the people is the greatest resource n any electoral exercise

CALD was priviledged to witness this people-driven campaign firsthand when it sent a fourteen-member electoral mission to Taiwan on 4-9 January. Elected officials, potential candidates, and campaign workers from CALD member organizations joined the mission to observe the campaign of DPP Chair Dr. Tsai Ing-Wen, Taiwan’s first female presidential candidate and DPP standard-bearer in the 14 January 2012 elections.

Electoral observation missions are among CALD’s regular activities that allow CALD member organizations to gain wider perspectives on political campaign strategies. Since 2000, CALD has been collaborating with the DPP to observe elections in Taiwan, inarguably one of the world’s most advanced democracies.

The highlight of the Januart mission to Taiwan was DPP’s Super Sunday rally in Taipei City during which Dr. Tsai spoke before an estimated 100,000 supporters. Also in attendance were Tsai’s running mate, Su Jia Chyuan, and the party’s candidates for the Legislative Yuan in Taipei City.

The CALD mission also visited campaign branches in the cities of Taipei, Taoyuan in the northwest, and Taichung in west-central Taiwan, where they observed campaign activities, including the briefing of volunteers, street sweeps, and rally preparations. In addition, CALD mission members had briefings at the Central Election Commission of Taiwan, a survey research center, and the Yilan County Hall. A workshop on election campaign strategy was conducted as well, where fundraising, polling, propaganda, and grassroots mobilization were among the topics taken up.

By the way, DPP – and the rest of Taiwan — were against not just one, but three Big Bad Wolves, said DPP campaign spokesperson Cheng Li Chun: big business, the ruling prty’s huge assets, and the use of the state apparatus to influence the electoral battle.

Categorised in: Missions & Visits

This post was written by CALD