Taiwan Local Elections 2026: Mayoral Candidates and UK Poll Times

Taiwan holds its local elections on Saturday 28 November 2026, with polls open from 08:00 to 16:00 Taiwan time, midnight to 08:00 in the UK (GMT). At 06:31 UK time on 30 October 2026, the versus page for Which party comes first in Taiwan's local elections? showed 71.4p for the Kuomintang (KMT), the market's estimate of a 71.4% chance that the KMT comes first. This guide is for readers in Great Britain; versus does not say who will win (how to read market probabilities).

Nine kinds of local office, one polling day

The Central Election Commission (CEC) fixed the date and hours in its notice of 20 August 2026, and its release that day calls the vote the 2026 "nine-in-one" election: nine kinds of local office, 11,051 posts and about 19.65 million expected electors. The headline races are the mayors of the six special municipalities and 16 county magistrates and city mayors; councillors, township officials and village and borough chiefs are also elected (CEC, 7 September).

The six big cities: who is on the CEC list

On 16 October the CEC approved all 23 registered candidates for these mayoralties. Its formal list is not out until 12 November, but a registered candidate cannot withdraw (CEC timetable). The CEC's registration tables give names and parties in Chinese: 中國國民黨 is the Kuomintang (KMT), 民主進步黨 the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Names follow the versus answers, with the CEC's spelling in brackets; readings are from 06:31 UK time on 30 October 2026.

• Taipei: Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安, KMT), the sitting mayor according to the city government's English website, Puma Shen (沈伯洋, DPP) and four others. The prediction showed 70.1p for Chiang Wan-an, 33.4p for Puma Shen.
• New Taipei: Su Chiao-hui (蘇巧慧, DPP), Lee Shu-chuan (李四川, KMT) and one independent. Huang Kuo-chang, an answer in the prediction, is not on the list; it showed 55.3p for Lee Shu-chuan, 48.8p for Su Chiao-hui.
• Taoyuan: only Chang San-cheng (張善政, KMT) and Huang Shih-chieh (黃世杰, DPP); the prediction showed 93.2p for Chang San-cheng, 6.6p for Huang Shih-chieh.
• Taichung: Johnny Chiang (江啟臣, KMT), Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純, DPP) and one other. Yang Chiung-ying, an answer in the prediction, is not listed; it showed 83.7p for Johnny Chiang, 21.2p for Ho Hsin-chun.
• Tainan: Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃, DPP), Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介, KMT) and two others. Lin Chun-hsien and Lin Yi-feng, answers in the prediction, are not listed; it showed 93p for Chen Ting-fei, 7.5p for Hsieh Lung-chieh.
• Kaohsiung: Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆, DPP), Ko Chih-en (柯志恩, KMT) and three others. Lin Tai-hua, Chiu Yi-ying and Hsu Chih-chieh, answers in the prediction, are not listed; it showed 80.3p for Lai Jui-lung, 23.1p for Ko Chih-en.

How the party prediction counts

Only the 22 mayor and magistrate races count: the six special municipalities, the cities of Keelung, Hsinchu and Chiayi, and 13 counties. A win scores only for the party that nominated the candidate at registration; independents score for nobody. The CEC's tables show KMT and DPP nominees in 19 races each and one Taiwan People's Party (TPP) nominee, Chang Chi-kai in Chiayi City, while Ann Kao (高虹安) stands in Hsinchu City without a party.

Credible reporting decides, the CEC's official results settle any doubt, and it can settle once no rival can reach the leader's total. A tie is broken alphabetically by the parties' English names, so the DPP would take a tie with the KMT. Trading is listed to end at 00:00 UK time on 28 November (08:00 in Taiwan, as polls open). Results still unknown at 04:59 UK time (BST) on 1 July 2027 are left out; if none is known, it settles on Other. At 06:31 UK time the page showed 28.1p for the DPP.

When a mayor or magistrate prediction settles

Each settles on the person elected on 28 November; a stand-in placed in office before then does not count (what market resolution means). Reporting again comes before the CEC's result, and several rules name its election database. Three rules, for Taichung, Hsinchu City and Miaoli, settle every listed name at 0p if someone unlisted wins. With no result by 11:59pm Eastern time on 30 June 2027 (04:59 UK time, BST, on 1 July), no listed name wins.

County and city races in brief

• Names as the predictions list them, KMT name first, then DPP: Yunlin (Chang Chia-chun, Liu Chien-kuo), Hsinchu County (Hsu Hsin-ying, Cheng Chao-fang), Miaoli (Chung Tung-chin, Chen Pin-an), Nantou (Hsu Shu-hua, Wen Shih-cheng), Pingtung (Su Ching-chuan, Chou Chun-mi), Taitung (Wu Hsiu-hua, Chen Ying), Yilan (Wu Tsung-hsien, Lin Kuo-chang) and Penghu (Chen Chen-chung, Wu Shu-chin), the last two with more answers.
• Hualien: Yu Shu-chen (KMT) and four more answers. Chiayi County: Tsai Yi-yu (DPP), Wu Pin-jui (independent) and one more answer. Hsinchu City: Ann Kao (independent; 90.1p on the page at 06:31 UK time), Chuang Ching-cheng (DPP) and Ho Chih-yung. Chiayi City: Wang Mei-hui (DPP), Chang Chi-kai (TPP) and four more answers.
• Yes or No predictions cover Chen Su-yueh (DPP), Wei Ping-cheng (KMT), Chiu Chien-fu (independent) and Huang Hsiu-fang in Changhua, and Wang Chung-ming (KMT) and Tsao Erh-yuan (independent) in Lienchiang.
• Not on the CEC list: Chen Wan-hui and Chang Sheng-te (Yilan), Yeh Yao-hui (Hualien), Tsai Sung-yi (Chiayi County), Weng Shou-liang and Chen Chia-ping (Chiayi City) and Huang Hsiu-fang (Changhua).

Dates ahead, in UK time

• Thursday 12 and Tuesday 17 November: the formal candidate lists, for the six big cities and then the county and city races, show the names on each ballot; campaigning ends on 27 November.
• Saturday 28 November, 00:00 to 08:00 GMT: polling, with counting as each station closes. Trading is listed to end as polls open for the party prediction, at 23:59 UK time (07:59 on Sunday in Taiwan) for New Taipei, Taoyuan, Tainan and Kaohsiung, and at 04:59 UK time on Sunday 29 November (12:59 in Taiwan) for the rest (when markets close).
• Monday 30 November: lots are drawn for any race that ends level.
• Friday 4 December: the CEC's official list of winners, the record that decides a disputed prediction.

Before you trade

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Frequently asked questions

What time do Taiwan's polls open in UK time?

At midnight GMT as Saturday 28 November 2026 begins, 08:00 in Taiwan. They close at 08:00 UK time, 16:00 in Taiwan.

Who is running for mayor of New Taipei?

The CEC approved three candidates on 16 October 2026: Su Chiao-hui (DPP), Lee Shu-chuan (KMT) and one independent. Huang Kuo-chang, an answer in the versus prediction, is not among them.

When will the results be official?

The CEC's English guide says final results usually come on polling day, and its timetable sets Friday 4 December 2026 for the official list of winners.

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