Taiwan candidates register for local elections amid tight polling

Candidates for Taiwan’s upcoming local elections have begun formal registration across several regions. In New Taipei City, Kuomintang (KMT) candidate Li Sichuan has officially registered for the mayoral race. Recent polling indicates a tight competition, with Li holding a 6.7 percentage point lead over Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Su Chiao-hui, though Su has shown strong momentum in certain districts and among younger voters.

In Hsinchu County, DPP candidate Zheng Chao-fang has registered, pledging to apply his governance experience from Zhubei to the entire county. Meanwhile, in Hsinchu City, Mayor Kao Hung-an has also registered for re-election with support from KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wen. In Hualien County, Wei Chia-hsien has completed registration, proposing a “Six Directions Forward” policy including a “Future Savings” initiative for residents. In Miaoli City, Yu Wen-chung has registered for re-election, emphasizing social welfare and smart city development.