As part of their international service roles at the University of Guam, professors Ronald L. McNinch and John J. Rivera observed the Jan. 16 national elections in Taipei, Taiwan. The professors observed the Taiwan Academy of Banking and Finance, a voting site that was selected at random, and released a report on their observations.

They noted that the voting process took five to seven minutes from entry to exit and that there were no delays, there was minimal interaction between staff and voters, staff did not physically handle the ballots after votes were cast and children were allowed to observe the voting with their parents.

“The democratic process is alive and well in Taiwan, and citizens were able to participate in free, fair and open elections. The professionalism and dedication we observed in the administration and operations of this site was worthy of a superior rating,” the report states.