Taipei, Nov. 1 (CNA) Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. founder and aspiring presidential candidate Terry Gou (郭台銘) and his running mate Tammy Lai (賴佩霞) on Wednesday submitted petition signatures they collected to qualify as candidates in the presidential election next year.
Speaking to the media after delivering the signature sheets to the Taipei City Election Commission, Gou said: “Today is a very important day. I am here to convey the aspirations of the Taiwanese people in pursuing democracy and freedom.”
He added that every signature is a responsibility and encouragement and he and Lai will keep them in hearts as they move forward.
However, Gou did not reveal the number of signatures filed or whether enough were collected to become an eligible candidate, saying only that his campaign office will give a briefing on the matter later.
After declaring his intention to join the 2024 presidential race as an independent in August, Gou was required by law to collect 289,667 signatures, equivalent to 5 percent of eligible voters in the 2020 presidential election by Nov. 2.
Those signatures have to pass a review by the Central Election Commission (CEC) for Gou to get his name on the presidential ballot.
After launching his signature drive on Sept. 20, Gou claimed last month that he had collected more than 300,000 signatures.
Separately on Wednesday, Huang Shih-hsiu (黃士修), a spokesman for Gou, said the signatures collected for the independent presidential bid had been delivered to the election authority in batches.
The number of signatures submitted has passed the threshold, according to Huang, who said that the last batch of signatures will be delivered by the deadline on Thursday when the final figures will be released, including how many collected, how many removed, and how many filed.
The CEC is required to publish the result of the candidate petition by Nov. 14 and registration for candidates running in the presidential election takes place from Nov. 20-24.
In the presidential election on Jan. 13, 2024, Gou will face Vice President Lai Ching-te (賴清德), the standard bearer of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, New Taipei Mayor Hou Yu-ih (侯友宜) of the KMT, and Taiwan People’s Party Chairman Ko Wen-je (柯文哲), if the signatures are ratified and he chooses to continue his campaign.
