The 2018 Taiwanese municipal elections for both mayoral and magisterial candidates were held on 24 November 2018, as part of the larger
local elections
In many parts of the world, local elections take place to select office-holders in local government, such as mayors and councillors. Elections to positions within a city or town are often known as "municipal elections". Their form and conduct vary ...
in
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
.
2018 municipal election candidate nominations
Results summary
Bold represents incumbent re-elected.
Special municipality Special municipality may refer to:
* Special municipality (Netherlands)
There are twelve provinces of the Netherlands (), representing the administrative layer between the national government and the local municipalities, with responsibility fo ...
Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...
Political context prior to the elections
As the capital of Taiwan,
Taipei
Taipei (), officially Taipei City, is the capital and a special municipality of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Located in Northern Taiwan, Taipei City is an enclave of the municipality of New Taipei City that sits about southwest of the n ...
functions as the economic and political center of Taiwan, and is currently its largest city. Taipei's mayoral race has been hotly contested between
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
and the
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
since the 1994 local election. This seat has notably been held by former presidents
Lee Teng Hui,
Chen Shui Bian
Chen Shui-bian (; born 12 October 1950) is a retired Taiwanese politician and lawyer who served as the president of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 2000 to 2008. Chen was the first president from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) wh ...
, and
Ma Ying-jeou. The position has been widely speculated to be a "first-step" towards the
presidential office.
[Benefits of Taipei mayor](_blank)
��China Times
In 2014
DPP
DPP may stand for:
Business
*Digital Production Partnership, of UK public service broadcasters
* Direct Participation Program, a financial security
* Discounted payback period
Photography
* Digital Photo Professional, Canon software
Law en ...
-supported independent candidate Doctor
Ko Wen-je received a 57% majority of the votes over
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
's
Sean Lien
Sean Lien or Lien Sheng-wen (; Taiwanese: Liân sìng-bûn; born February 4, 1970) is a member of the Central Standing Committee of the Kuomintang of the Republic of China (Taiwan). He is co-founder of Evenstar Capital and he previously serve ...
, ending the 16-year
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
administration of Taipei.
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Predictions
Results
According to
Civil Servants Election And Recall Act article 69, because Independent Ko Wen-je and Kuomintang's Ting Shou-chung vote percentages are within 0.30 margin, Kuomintang's Ting Shou-chung was entitled to, and did, call for a recount.
New Taipei
Political context prior to the elections
New Taipei City is located in the northernmost region of Taiwan and is the ROC's most populous city. New Taipei was upgraded to Special Municipality status in 2010.
[土地面積、村里鄰、戶數暨現住人口數統計表](_blank)
��中華民國內政部統計資訊網 Due to the vast territory, the number of voters has surpassed 3 million, becoming a Pan blue coalition and Pan green coalition camps battleground.
,自由時報電子報
Before upgrading to special municipality status, the then Taipei County was controlled by the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
until the 1989 local election, with the then newly formed
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
winning the seat for four straight terms in 16 years until
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
's
Chou Hsi-wei
Chou Hsi-wei (, born 11 March 1958) Taiwanese politician. He was a member of the Legislative Yuan from 1999 to 2005. He then served as Taipei County Magistrate from 2005 to 2010.
Chou worked for James Soong and was a member of Soong's People ...
won power in 2005.
After the upgrade to special municipality status in 2010,
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
's
Eric Chu[激戰新北市 朱贏蔡11萬票](_blank)
,中時電子報 won the seat for two consecutive terms, including the 2014 local election.
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Predictions
Results
Taoyuan
Political context prior to the elections
In late 2014, Taoyuan City was upgraded to special municipality status from Taoyuan County. Taoyuan is known for its diversity, mostly migrants from South East Asia region.
Before the 1990s, Taoyuan County has been long held by
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
except 1977-1979, 1997-2001 and 2014 until present.
In the 1997 by-election, the
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
nominated
Annette Lu, winning the seat over the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
and subsequently won it until the 2001 local election.
In 2001 local election,
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
won the seat back from the
DPP
DPP may stand for:
Business
*Digital Production Partnership, of UK public service broadcasters
* Direct Participation Program, a financial security
* Discounted payback period
Photography
* Digital Photo Professional, Canon software
Law en ...
for three straight terms in 13 years until 2014 local election, losing to the
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
-nominated candidate
Cheng Wen-tsan by 30,000 votes.
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Taichung
Taichung (, Wade–Giles: ''Tʻai²-chung¹'', pinyin: ''Táizhōng''), officially Taichung City, is a special municipality located in central Taiwan. Taichung has approximately 2.8 million residents and is the second most populous city of Taiw ...
Political context prior to the elections
Taichung City is the second largest metropolis in Taiwan, serves as the economic, cultural and transportation hub in the central part of Taiwan. It was merged and reorganized at the end of 2010 by Taichung County and Taichung City forming Taichung City. The former Taichung County was controlled by the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
except in 1997, the
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
's Liao Yung-lai was elected as the county mayor.
Taichung City before in the 1980s are held by Independent or
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
's Zhang and Lai factions. In the 1980s, the Kuomintang changed its nomination strategy to regain its power, by choosing non-faction candidates defeated Tzeng Wen-po (曾文坡), who is seeking for re-election in 1981, starting a four straight terms in 16 years. In 1997, the
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
's
Chang Wen-ying
Chang Wen-ying (or Chang Wen-ing; ; born 26 July 1950) is a Taiwanese politician.
She was imprisoned for two years after performing plastic surgery on Shih Ming-teh, who was attempting to flee Taiwan shortly after the Kaohsiung Incident. After ...
was elected for Taichung City mayor due to the Pan blue coalition split.
In 2001,
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
's
Jason Hu was elected as Taichung City mayor until 2010's merger and won the third term as the first mayor of the newly formed Taichung City with 36,351 votes.
In 2014,
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
's candidate
Lin Chia-lung won 57% of the votes, elected as the Taichung City mayor due to unhappiness towards the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
government.
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Predictions
Results
Tainan
Tainan (), officially Tainan City, is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality in southern Taiwan facing the Taiwan Strait on its western coast. Tainan is the oldest city on the island and also commonly known as the "Capital City" ...
Political context prior to the elections
Tainan City is located in Taiwan's Chia-Nan Plain, is a cultural capital for its history. Tainan City was merged and reorganized at the end of 2010, merging with Tainan County of Taiwan Province.
The original Tainan County in the 1990s,
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
local faction took turns taking control. However, Tainan County turned blue to green until
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
's candidate
Mark Chen
Mark Tang-shan/Tan-sun Chen (), born September 16, 1935, in Tainan Prefecture (now part of Tainan City), Taiwan, is a Taiwanese politician, former Secretary-General of the Office of the President of Taiwan under former President Chen Shui-bian. ...
became the mayor in 1993 until the merger between the county and the city was since led by the Democratic Progressive Party.
[執政品質掛保證 綠色四縣市勝券在握](_blank)
The original Tainan City was dominated by Independents and the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
government for many years before the 1990s. Since 1997, the
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
candidate
Helen Chang was elected mayor, the former Tainan City since had been governed by the Democratic Progressive Party at the county level. After the merger of counties and cities in 2010, the DPP's
William Lai was also elected as mayor.
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung City (Mandarin Chinese: ; Wade–Giles: ''Kao¹-hsiung²;'' Pinyin: ''Gāoxióng'') is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsi ...
Political context prior to the elections

Kaohsiung is the third largest city in Taiwan and capital of the political and economic center of the southern region. The special municipality city is merged in 2010 with Kaohsiung County from Taiwan Province.
高雄縣市合併改制後之「高雄市」,其定位為新成立之直轄市
,高雄縣市合併專屬網站
The former Kaohsiung County before the 1980s is led by the Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
, and the independents until 1985 where Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
has led the county until the merger of the county and city.
Since the implementation of local autonomy in 1950, the former Kaohsiung City has been led by the KMT except the 6th mayor Yang Jinhu, who was a non-KMT candidate. After Kaohsiung was elevated into a municipality in 1979, the mayor was appointed by the Central Government and opened up first election in 1994 where Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
's Wu Den-yih was first elected mayor of the city. In 1998, the Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a Taiwanese nationalist and centre-left political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Controlling both the Republic of China presidency and the unicameral Legislative Yuan, it is the majori ...
's Frank Hsieh won the mayoral election by a slim margin over the incumbent mayor Wu Den-yih, starting the DPP
DPP may stand for:
Business
*Digital Production Partnership, of UK public service broadcasters
* Direct Participation Program, a financial security
* Discounted payback period
Photography
* Digital Photo Professional, Canon software
Law en ...
's straight 4 terms, 16 years rule until the merger.
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Predictions
Results
Taiwan Province
Keelung
Keelung () or Jilong () (; Hokkien POJ: '), officially known as Keelung City, is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. The city is a part of the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with its neighbors, New Taipe ...
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Yilan County
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Hsinchu County
Hsinchu County (Wade–Giles: ''Hsin¹-chu²'') is a county in north-western Taiwan. The population of the county is mainly Hakka; with a Taiwanese aboriginal minority in the southeastern part of the county. Zhubei is the county capital, where ...
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Hsinchu
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Miaoli County
Miaoli County (Mandarin Pinyin: ''miáo lì xiàn''; Hakka PFS: ''Mèu-li̍t-yen''; Hokkien POJ: ''Biâu-le̍k-koān'' or ''Miâu-le̍k-koān'') is a county in western Taiwan. Miaoli is adjacent with Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City to the nort ...
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Changhua County
Changhua County (Mandarin Pinyin: ''Zhānghuà Xiàn''; Wade-Giles: ''Chang¹-hua⁴ Hsien⁴''; Hokkien POJ: ''Chiang-hòa-koān'' or ''Chiong-hòa-koān'') is the smallest county on the main island of Taiwan by area, and the fourth smallest ...
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Nantou County
Nantou County (; Hokkien POJ: ''Lâm-tâu-koān''; Hakka PFS: ''Nàm-thèu-yen'') is the second largest county of Taiwan by area, located in the central part of the country. It is also the only non-coastal county in Taiwan. Its name derives fro ...
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Yunlin County
Yunlin County (Mandarin pinyin: ''Yúnlín Xiàn''; Taigi POJ: ''Hûn-lîm-koān''; Hakka PFS: ''Yùn-lìm-yen'') is a county in western Taiwan. Yunlin County borders the Taiwan Strait to the west, Nantou County to the east, Changhua County t ...
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Chiayi County
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Chiayi City
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Predictions
Results
Pingtung County
Pingtung County is a county located in southern Taiwan. It has a warm tropical monsoon climate and is known for its agriculture and tourism. Kenting National Park, Taiwan's oldest national park, is located in the county. The county seat is Pin ...
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Hualien County
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Taitung County
Taitung County (; Mandarin pinyin: ''Táidōng Xiàn''; Hokkien POJ: ''Tâi-tang-koān''; Hakka PFS: ''Thòi-tûng-yen''; Paiwan: ''Valangaw'';lit:Eastern part of Taiwan) is the third largest county in Taiwan, located primarily on the island' ...
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Penghu County
Political context prior to the elections
Result of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Fujian Province
Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its cap ...
Kinmen County
Kinmen, alternatively known as Quemoy, is a group of islands governed as a county by the Republic of China (Taiwan), off the southeastern coast of mainland China. It lies roughly east of the city of Xiamen in Fujian, from which it is separate ...
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
Lienchiang County
Political context prior to the elections
Results of the primary
Opinion polls
Results
See also
* 2018 Taiwanese local elections
Local elections were held on 24 November 2018 in Taiwan, to elect county magistrates (city mayors), county (city) councilors, township mayors, township councilors and chiefs of village (borough) in 6 municipalities and 16 counties (cities). Elec ...
* 2019 Taiwanese by-elections
By-elections for the Ninth Legislative Yuan were held in 2019, two on 27 January and four on 16 March, at Taiwan to elect 6 of the 113 members of the Legislative Yuan for the remaining term until 2020.
Background
The by-election was the result of ...
* 2020 Taiwan legislative election
The 2020 Taiwanese legislative election was held on 11 January 2020 for all 113 seats to the Legislative Yuan concurrently with the 15th presidential election in Taiwan. The term of the Legislative Yuan began on 1 February 2020.
The Democratic ...
* 2020 Taiwan presidential election
Presidential elections were held in Taiwan on 11 January 2020 along with the 10th Legislative Yuan election. Incumbent president Tsai Ing-wen and former premier William Lai of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the election, defeating K ...
References
External links
Republic of China Central Election Commission
{{portal bar, Republic of China, Taiwan, Politics
Municipal
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...