TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – A petition drive to recall Kuomintang (KMT) presidential candidate Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) as mayor of Kaohsiung has obtained the necessary 300,000 signatures, one of its organizers said Friday (October 11).

Under the Election and Recall Act, 1 percent of Kaohsiung’s 2.28 million inhabitants must endorse a proposal, then 10 percent must sign the impeachment document before a vote can take place, the Central News Agency reported.

The organizers of the recall drive set 300,000 as their target for endorsements because during the review process, many signatures might be rejected by the authorities.

One of the initiators, former city government cultural affairs chief Aaron Yin (尹立), said Friday he was confident 300,000 signatures had already been collected, but the drive would continue regardless.

On Taiwan’s National Day, October 10, an activist at a table collecting signatures for the Han recall was intimidated by a member of the public who shouted threats and insults, organizers said. Nevertheless, the campaign received 444 endorsements at the event, CNA reported.

Once the authorities agree that a recall vote will take place, it will only be successful if more voters cast a ballot in favor than against, and at least 25 percent of eligible voters must have voted yes.

Han will reportedly take leave as mayor on October 15 to start campaigning for president full-time, though critics have accused him of timing the move to avoid questioning by the Kaohsiung City Council.

