Regarding the proposed merger between the presidential and the legislative elections next year, the Central Election Commission has planned a series of public hearings and opinion polls starting this month to help achieve an optimal decision, which the authorities say will not be based on any electoral concerns of the major parties.

The Central Election Commission is currently holding a series of public hearings to determine public sentiment on merging presidential and legislative elections in the future.

Municipal representatives, principals, and CEC personnel in northern Taiwan attended a hearing on Wednesday morning and exchanged views.

Those in favor of merging the elections say that such a move would lower social expenditures, while those that aren't in opposition to merging the elections questioned whether there was enough time to merge the next elections and whether amendments would be needed.

According to CEC Deputy Commissioner Liu Yi-chou, amendments would not be required because any illegal proceedings or violations of the right to vote would be processed by the courts.

Liu also shot down rumors that the CEC was following the KMT's orders, and said that there was both support for and opposition against merging the elections within the CEC.

Therefore, public opinion polls are being conducted to determine voter sentiment.