Vote likely this summer
Residents of the island of Penghu off Taiwan could be poised to vote again on the issue of legal casinos, according to local media.
The Asia Gaming Brief reports that more than 5,000 voter signatures have been collected, surpassing the minimum requirement of 4,114 signatures. That information came from Chen Meng, part of the Alliance Promoting the Internationalization of Penghu. According to Chen, supporters want to collect 6,000 names before sending them to the country’s election commission for review.
“At the earliest, the second referendum on gambling is likely to take place before the end of the year,” Chen told the Taipei Times.
The alliance hopes there’s been a change of heart among voters since 2009. In a referendum that year, shortly after the ban on gaming was lifted on Taiwan’s outlying island chains of Matsu, Kinmen and Penghu, 56.4 percent of total valid ballots came out against the introduction of casinos. Casino proponents underestimated the dedication of opponents who reportedly brought back Penghu residents from the main islands of Taiwan to vote “no.” Opinion may have been swayed since 2012, when the residents of Matsu voted in favor of casino resorts as a way to boosting tourism.
If the measures advances, the vote conceivably could be held as soon as June.
