The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is to nominate mayoral candidates for DPP-governed cities and counties by the end of this month, with incumbents likely to be nominated for re-election in next year’s mayoral elections.
During a meeting of the DPP Central Standing Committee yesterday, the party’s Electoral Strategy Committee proposed to finalize the mayoral nominations for nine DPP-ruled cities and counties on Nov. 29, DPP spokesman Wang Min-sheng (王閔生) said.
Although it is yet to be officially decided by the top DPP decision-making body, nine incumbents are likely to be nominated to seek re-election, including Keelung Mayor Lin Yu-chang (林右昌), Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦), Hsinchu Mayor Lin Chih-chien (林智堅), Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), Changhua County Commissioner Wei Ming-ku (魏明谷), Yunlin County Commissioner Lee Chin-yung (李進勇), Chiayi Mayor Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲), Pingtung County Commissioner Pan Men-an (潘孟安) and Penghu County Commissioner Chen Kuang-fu (陳光復).
The electoral strategy committee has asked President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who doubles as DPP chairperson, and Premier William Lai (賴清德) to co-chair a news conference on Nov. 29 following the nominations to campaign for the nine candidates, Wang said.
The party is to nominate DPP Legislator Liu Chao-hao (劉櫂豪) and Caotun Township (草屯) Mayor Hung Kuo-hao (洪國浩) to run for Taitung and Nantou county commissioner, and it will begin campaigning for Liu and Hung even before their nominations have been completed, as the two candidates have received unanimous support from both the party and local political circles, Wang said.
Meanwhile, in constituencies including Tainan, Kaohsiung, Chiayi County and Yilan, where incumbents are in their second term and will have to leave office, primary elections are to be held to decide the nomination, he said.
The timing of the primary elections will be negotiated with candidates and it would likely be in early March next year, following the Lunar New Year, Wang added.
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