Taiwanese nationals living overseas have begun registering to vote in the upcoming presidential and legislative election.
Taiwanese nationals living abroad will have to return to Taiwan to vote in the January 16 election, since Taiwan does not issue absentee ballots.
At the legislature on Thursday, minister for Overseas Chinese affairs Chen Shyh-kwei said that most of those returning to vote will come from the US and Southeast Asia.
Chen said that Overseas Chinese education centers in the US have begun providing information about how to register. He also said that Taiwanese businesses and Overseas Chinese organizations have also been spreading the word about registration in Southeast Asia.
Registration began on September 16 and will remain open until December 7. Chen said that while the total number of overseas voters will not be known until after the December 7 deadline, previous elections have seen several thousand Taiwanese nationals return to vote.