The Significance of
the Government-conducted Primary
Lung-chu Chen
Recently, many legislators
in Taiwan have co-sponsored a bill that would let the government conduct
primaries to assist political parties to select their candidates. Chairman
Huang of the Central Election Commission supported the proposal in the
belief that public primaries will reduce vote-buying. Today, the Interior,
Judicial and related Committees in the Legislative Yuan are holding a
joint public hearing, inviting experts and scholars to testify. This is a
right step toward improving Taiwan¡¦s election culture.
One of the main defects in Taiwan¡¦s electoral system relates to the
nominating systems. For example, the DPP holds its own party primaries,
but has been troubled by what is known as ¡§figure-head party members.¡¨
KMT¡¦s candidates are chosen either by the Assembly of party delegates or
by the Central Standing Committee, resulting in large gaps between party
opinion and public opinion.
If Taiwan should adopt some primary system comparable to those in the
United States, it is likely to improve Taiwan¡¦s electoral system and
culture. The early electoral system in the United States was elitist in
nature, leaving the task of nominating candidates in the hands of party
bureaucrats. Consequently, blacks were for a long time denied effective
participation in the political process. Thanks to the civil rights
movements, the primary system has been established to rectify the
situation.
The primary systems, as practiced in different states and localities of
the United States, allow the government to conduct or supervise the
primary process, and cause the transfer of the nominating power from
political parties to the entire electorate. Thus, voters are enabled to
participate effectively in the political process.
Hence, if Taiwan decides to let the government conduct party primaries to
select parties¡¦ candidates for office, every voter¡¦s right will be well
respected, and the gap between public opinion and party opinion can be
greatly reduced.
The government-sponsored primary will help to expand effective political
participation, reflect public opinion, enhance popular supervision of
political parties, and maintain a thriving democracy. |