With local elections set for Nov. 28, the Taipei election commission has drawn candidate numbers. KMT incumbent Chiang Wan-an got No. 5 and the DPP's Shen Po-yang No. 3, each through a citizen proxy.
Local election commissions across Taiwan have been drawing ballot numbers ahead of the Nov. 28 nine-in-one local elections. According to the United Daily News, Taipei's draw took place on the morning of Oct. 27 at the city election commission, with the DPP's Shen Po-yang drawing No. 3 and the KMT's Chiang Wan-an No. 5 in the mayoral race. The city council draw was held the same day.
광고 문의 · 300×250TVBS reported that the draw was originally set for Oct. 23 but was pushed back by a typhoon; only Kinmen County kept to the original date. Under the Public Officials Election and Recall Act, numbers are drawn in order of candidate registration and cannot be changed afterward. A candidate may send a proxy with a signed authorization, and if no one answers after three calls the election office draws on the candidate's behalf.
Citizen proxies for Nos. 3 and 5
Per the United Daily News, Chiang was chairing a city council meeting at the time and could not attend, so a 20-year-old citizen named Yakira, introduced by his office, drew No. 5. TVBS said Shen's team recruited proxies through its official LINE account and drew more than 5,500 applicants; a citizen named Lydia, picked in an online lottery, drew No. 3 and joked that she took the three phone calls for a scam.
Both camps quickly folded the numbers into slogans: Chiang's side used a line built around No. 5 and an encore for Taipei, while Shen's side used a slogan casting Taipei as relying on him. No evidence was reported that a number affects vote share, and neither side publicly commented on any advantage or disadvantage.
Six candidates, and a complaint over the debate
TVBS noted that Taipei is the only one of the six special municipalities with six mayoral candidates: No. 1 Guo Xi (Taiwan Mahjong Largest Party), No. 2 Lin Chih-cheng (independent), No. 3 Shen Po-yang (DPP), No. 4 Hsiao Wen-chien (Taiwan SoR Party), No. 5 Chiang Wan-an (KMT) and No. 6 Tang Hsin-min (Three Forces Unity Alliance). Guo said he was unhappy that only Chiang and Shen were invited to the televised debate.
Taipei is often treated as a symbolic battleground in Taiwanese politics. The draw alone offers no basis for reading the race, and earlier polls have shown differing margins depending on the pollster. With a little over a month to go, debates and policy contests are expected to pick up.