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~19.65M Voters [S1] 11,051 Seats [S1] 18,244 Polling Stations [S1] Nov 28, 2026 (08:00–16:00) [S1]

How Taiwan Votes on Nov 28, 2026: The Nine-in-One Ballot, Key Numbers and Voting-Day Rules Explained

Taiwan's nine-in-one election is the nationwide local election held to choose local public officials across nine [S6] categories of local office on a single voting day, alongside a national referendum [S5], [S6]. Central Election Commission (CEC) chair Michael You described it as arguably the largest and most complex democratic election on earth [S1].

Eligible Voters
~19.65M [S1]
Estimated ~19.65 million [S1] eligible voters, including about 600,000-plus [S2] first-time voters.
Officials to Elect
11,051 [S1]
11,051 [S1] seats contested by 19,695 [S3] registrants; seats up by 28 [S3] from 2022 [S3].
Electoral Districts
8,906 [S1]
8,906 [S1] electoral districts established nationwide covering 9 [S6] office types.
Polling Stations
18,244 [S1]
About 18,244 [S1] stations; nearly 250,000 [S1] workers (over 300,000 [S1] with referendum).

Legal Disclaimer & Research Neutrality Statement

InfoMiner Election Lab provides this explainer strictly for international news reporting, academic inquiry, and civic education. InfoMiner measures online discussion, not voting intention. This page is an informational summary of verified election data, not legal advice; the Central Election Commission and courts are authoritative.

1. What Is on the Ballot: 9 Local Offices and the Nuclear Referendum

On Saturday, November 28, 2026 [S1], voters across Taiwan elect 11,051 [S1], [S3] local public officials spanning nine [S6] distinct categories of office. Candidate registration closed on September 4, 2026 [S3], with a final nationwide total of 19,695 [S3], [S4] registered candidates. Candidate number draws were conducted on October 23, 2026 [S3].

Office Category Seats to Elect Registered Candidates Jurisdiction / Administrative Level
1. Special municipality mayors 6 [S3] 23 [S3] 6 [S6] special municipalities: Taipei, New Taipei, Taoyuan, Taichung, Tainan, Kaohsiung
2. Special municipality councillors 381 [S3] 610 [S3] Legislative councils across the 6 [S6] special municipalities
3. County/city magistrates & mayors 16 [S3] 58 [S3] 13 [S6] counties and 3 [S6] provincial cities
4. County/city councillors 538 [S3] 892 [S3] Legislative councils across 13 [S6] counties and 3 [S6] cities
5. Mountain indigenous district chiefs 6 [S3] 16 [S3] 6 [S3] special municipality mountain indigenous districts
6. Mountain indigenous district representatives 50 [S3] 94 [S3] Representative councils across 6 [S3] mountain indigenous districts
7. Township/county-administered city mayors 198 [S3] 465 [S3] Townships and county-administered cities within the 13 [S6] counties
8. Township/city representatives 2,076 [S3] 3,437 [S3] Local representative councils in townships and county-administered cities
9. Village/borough (li) chiefs 7,780 [S3] 14,100 [S3] Grassroots village and borough units nationwide
Total Local Election Seats 11,051 [S1], [S3] 19,695 [S3], [S4] 8,906 [S1] electoral districts nationwide

According to the Central Election Commission's registration report, total candidates decreased by 130 [S3] compared to the 19,825 [S4] registered in 2022 [S3], even as total available seats rose by 28 [S3]. Among the 19,695 [S4] candidates registered for 11,051 [S4] positions, 26 [S4] are China-born spouses.

The Nationwide Nuclear Referendum Ballot

In addition to local office elections, the November 28 ballot includes 1 [S6] nationwide referendum item on nuclear power [S5], [S6] (see our detailed briefing: Nuclear Referendum 2026). Because referendum voting takes place concurrently with the local ballots, polling stations require extra personnel, increasing the election workforce from nearly 250,000 [S1] workers to over 300,000 [S1].

2. Who Votes for What: Special Municipalities, Multi-Member Districts, and Indigenous Seats

Six Special Municipalities vs. Counties and Provincial Cities

While nine categories of local office exist across Taiwan, not all nine categories apply to all voters [S6]:

Multi-Member Council Constituencies and Vote Allocation

Most council constituencies in Taiwan elect multiple members (multi-member districts) [S6]. Political parties therefore ask supporters to spread their votes among their slate of candidates (for example, by assigning candidates to voters based on birth month) to prevent over-concentrating votes on a single popular candidate at the expense of others [S6].

Indigenous Seats & the 2026 Ballot-Secrecy Measure

Seats are specifically set aside for indigenous voters where the indigenous population passes a certain threshold [S6]. In addition, 6 [S3] mountain indigenous district chiefs and 50 [S3] mountain indigenous district representatives are elected in the mountain indigenous districts of the special municipalities.

The year 2026 [S7] marks the first time a new measure protects indigenous voters' ballot secrecy: about 1,200 [S7] indigenous voters will vote at two locations, with their indigenous-councillor ballot moved to a nearby polling station in the same district [S7].

3. Voting Day Rules: Schedule, Identification, and In-Person Voting

Voting Hours

Voting takes place on Saturday, November 28, 2026 [S1]. Polling stations nationwide open promptly at 8:00 a.m. and close at 4:00 p.m. Taipei time [S1].

What to Bring to the Polling Station

On November 9, 2026 [S5], the Central Election Commission reminded voters to bring three items:

  1. National ID card [S5]
  2. Personal seal (chop) [S5]
  3. Voting notification [S5]

Prohibited Items Inside Polling Stations

Other items, including cellphones, will not be allowed inside polling stations [S5].

In-Person Voting at Household Registration: No Absentee Balloting

All voters must cast their ballots in person in the district of their household registration [S6]. Taiwan has no absentee ballots [S6]. The Taipei Times columnist notes this creates an added hurdle for voters living, working and studying in another city [S6].

Warning on AI Deepfakes and Information Verification

The Central Election Commission also warned voters to beware of AI deepfakes and verify election information with multiple official sources [S5].

4. Counting and Results: Public Hand-Counting and Election Night Workflow

Public Manual Ballot Counting

At 16:00 [S1] on November 28, 2026 [S1], voting ends. Counting begins right after polls close and is open to the public to witness [S6].

For every vote cast, a worker calls out the result and another worker tallies it on a large board [S6].

Expected Results Timing

Counting takes place at about 18,244 [S1] polling stations nationwide. According to a Taipei Times columnist's description in Donovan's Deep Dives, election results are typically known by roughly 8pm or 9pm on election night [S6].

Central Election Commission (CEC) Governance

The election is overseen nationwide by the Central Election Commission. The CEC currently has 8 [S6] commissioners, below its mandated nine to 11 [S6] commissioners but above the quorum of 5 [S6]. Nationwide operations are staffed by nearly 250,000 [S1] election workers, expanding to over 300,000 [S1] when including referendum workers.

5. Key 2026 Election Dates

Date & Time Official Milestone Regulatory & Operational Details
Aug 20, 2026 Election Notice Issued The Central Election Commission issued the official 2026 local election notice 100 days before the vote [S1], [S2].
Sep 4, 2026 Registration Closed Candidate registration closed [S3]; 19,695 [S3], [S4] candidates registered for 11,051 [S3] seats.
Oct 23, 2026 Candidate Number Draws Official ballot number draws were held for all registered candidates across electoral districts [S3].
Nov 18, 2026 (00:00) Poll Blackout Starts Statutory 10-day poll blackout begins under Article 53 (see our Poll Blackout 2026 explainer).
Nov 28, 2026 (08:00–16:00) Election Day & Results Polls open 08:00–16:00 [S1]. Poll blackout lifts at 16:00 (see Poll Blackout 2026). Public manual counting begins immediately [S6]; results expected roughly 8pm or 9pm [S6].

6. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How do Taiwan's nine-in-one elections work?

Taiwan's nine-in-one election is the nationwide local election held to choose local public officials across nine categories of local office on a single voting day, alongside a national referendum. Voters cast ballots in person in the district of their household registration. In the six special municipalities, voters elect mayors, councillors, and borough chiefs; outside these cities, voters in 13 counties and three cities elect county magistrates or city mayors, councillors and, where applicable, township mayors, township representatives and village or borough chiefs. Most council constituencies elect multiple members in multi-member districts where parties ask supporters to spread votes.

2. How many voters are eligible in Taiwan's 2026 local elections?

The Central Election Commission (CEC) estimated approximately 19.65 million eligible voters for the November 28, 2026 elections, including about 600,000-plus first-time voters as stated by CEC chair Michael You. About 18,244 polling stations are planned nationwide across 8,906 electoral districts.

3. What offices are on the ballot in Taiwan on November 28, 2026?

Voters elect 11,051 local public officials across nine categories: 6 special municipality mayors, 381 special municipality councillors, 16 county/city magistrates and mayors, 538 county/city councillors, 6 mountain indigenous district chiefs, 50 mountain indigenous district representatives, 198 township/county-administered city mayors, 2,076 township/city representatives, and 7,780 village/borough (li) chiefs. In addition, voters decide one nationwide referendum item on nuclear power.

4. Can Taiwanese vote by absentee ballot?

No. Taiwan has no absentee ballots. Voters must cast their ballots in person on voting day at their assigned polling station in the district of their household registration.

5. When are Taiwan election results announced?

Public vote counting begins immediately after polling stations close at 16:00 on election day. Each vote is called out and tallied on a board in full view of the public. According to a Taipei Times columnist, election outcomes and results are typically known by roughly 8pm or 9pm.

6. What do voters need to bring to vote in Taiwan?

According to the Central Election Commission's November 9 reminder, voters were reminded to bring three items: their national ID, personal seal, and voting notification. Other items, including cellphones, will not be allowed inside polling stations. The CEC also warned voters to beware of AI deepfakes and verify election information with multiple official sources.

7. Official Sources & References