Who decides the final ballot text when the initiative is put to a vote?

Taiwan

Taiwan

Answer
  • Proponents of the initiative
  • Agency which administers direct democracy mechanisms
Source

Referendum Act (amended date: 2018/01/03)

Article 3. The competent authority for national referendums is the Central Election Commission, which is responsible for directing and supervising municipal or county (city) election commissions.

[…]

Article 10. The number of proposers for the matters prescribed in Paragraph Two of Article 2 shall be not less than one-ten thousandth of the total electors in the most recent election of President and Vice President.

After receiving a proposal of referendum or a corrected proposal, the competent authority shall finish its examination within 30 days.

After the process of examination, the competent authority shall notify the leading proposer to make necessary corrections once within 30 days, specifying the reasons; if the necessary corrections are not made or still do not meet the relevant provisions, the proposal shall be rejected.

1. Where the proposal does not apply to the national referendums prescribed in Article 2.

2. Where the proposal does not meet the provisions of the preceding Article.

3. Where the proposal is as described in Article 32.

4. Where the content of the proposal makes the intention of the proposal not understandable.

5. Where the number of proposers does not meet the provisions of Paragraph One.

After the process of examination, if the proposal is corrected in accordance with Subparagraphs One, Three, and Four of the preceding Paragraph, and Paragraph Six of the preceding Article, the competent authority shall hold a public hearing to clarify related disputes and help the proposers make the necessary corrections. The period of correction specified in the preceding Paragraph shall be 30 days from the end of the public hearing. […]

Comment

The main text of the ballot text is first proposed by the proposers of the referendum, and then examined by the Central Election Commission, and if the proposed text meets the relevant provisions, a public hearing will be held by the Central Election Commission to determine the finalized contents of the referendum proposal.

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