Taipei: The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced Wednesday that recall votes will be suspended in areas where local governments declare school and office closures due to an approaching typhoon.

According to Focus Taiwan, the announcement came as Tropical Storm Francisco formed northeast of the Philippines earlier in the day and is projected to draw nearest to Taiwan on Thursday and Friday, just ahead of the recall votes on Saturday. The CEC emphasized that if local governments announce exceptional situations for local areas, they and local election commissions will act according to the Public Officials Election And Recall Act.

The CEC stated it will closely monitor the latest weather conditions to ensure public safety. To deal with any unexpected situations related to the recall votes, a response center has been established to guide and supervise local election commissions and coordinate with relevant agencies.

Recall votes for 24 opposition Kuomintang (KMT) lawmakers and suspended Hsinchu Mayor Ann Kao are scheduled for July 26, while recall elections for seven other KMT lawmakers are scheduled for Aug. 23. The CEC’s proactive measures aim to address potential disruptions caused by the typhoon while maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.