Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy (TYFD) announced the launch of an online fundraising campaign to allow students to return home and vote at a press conference on Friday.
Taiwan will be holding its presidential and legislative elections on January 13, 2024, and TYFD pointed out that since the year 2000, elections have been held close to the final exams. Constrained by time, distance, and money, students would usually be unable to return to their hometowns to participate in the democratic process.
The campaign, which aims to address this issue, will provide 30 intercity shuttle bus routes around Taiwan from January 12 - 13 next year at a minimum ticket fare of NT$113 (about US$4) and is run in cooperation with 30 colleges and universities across the country.
TYFD Chairperson Alvin Yu-Meng Chang (張育萌) said that subsidies will also be provided for ferry and airfares to those living in the outlying islands of Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu. Chang hopes that the campaign will encourage young people to go back to their hometowns and vote.
National Students' Union of Taiwan (NSUT) Chairperson Weng Hsin-jou (翁歆媃) said that the campaign connects colleges and universities in the north, central, south, and east of Taiwan. Weng hopes that the campaign will increase the democratic participation of young people by minimizing the factors affecting them. Weng also emphasized that no donations were received from political parties for the campaign.