Voting Day: Saturday, Nov 28, 2026 5 Certified Candidates Ballot Lots Drawn: Oct 27, 2026 Open Seat after Chen Chi-mai

Kaohsiung Mayor 2026: Ko Chih-en vs Lai Jui-lung

Q: Who are the major candidates in the 2026 Kaohsiung mayoral election?

The two major-party nominees are Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩, Ballot #3) of the Kuomintang (KMT) and Legislator Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆, Ballot #5) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Three other certified candidates are also on the ballot: Chang Ching (司法改革黨, Ballot #1), Wang Chao-min (Independent, Ballot #2), and Hung Fang-lung (Independent, Ballot #4).

Q: Why does the Kaohsiung mayoral race matter beyond Taiwan?

Kaohsiung is Taiwan's major southern port and industrial hub. Both leading candidates have praised the city's concert economy under Mayor Chen Chi-mai, and Lai has pledged AI computing and semiconductor packaging and testing centers. Because Chen is not on the 2026 ballot, the open-seat race is watched as a test of whether the DPP holds this southern stronghold or the KMT can make another inroad, as it did in 2018.

Q: What are the main campaign issues?

Key municipal battlegrounds include redevelopment plans for the 57-hectare former 205th Armaments Arsenal site, north-south fiscal revenue sharing under the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures, airport curfew restrictions and offshore airport planning, social welfare including newborn childcare subsidies, and oversight of political donations and legislative hearings.

Q: How does InfoMiner cover the Kaohsiung race?

InfoMiner measures online discussion, public attention, and digital sentiment across social platforms and news reporting; it does not measure voting intention and does not forecast ballot outcomes. Published third-party scientific polls are presented under statutory disclosure rules.

Taiwan's southern maritime metropolis and industrial heavyweight heads to the polls on Saturday, November 28, 2026. With incumbent Mayor Chen Chi-mai not on the ballot, Kuomintang Legislator Ko Chih-en and Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Lai Jui-lung contend for municipal leadership amid debates over the 57-hectare former 205th Armaments Arsenal redevelopment, north-south fiscal revenue allocation, and regional industrial upgrading.

View Candidate Profiles Key Debate Issues Published Opinion Polls Primary Sources

Certified Ballot

5 Candidates

Ballot order drawn on Oct 27, 2026 after a typhoon delay reported by CNA

2022 Election Baseline

58.10% vs 40.16%

Chen Chi-mai (766,147) defeated Ko Chih-en (529,607)

Voting Schedule

Nov 28, 2026

Polling stations open 08:00 to 16:00 across Kaohsiung

Incumbency Status

Open Seat

Incumbent Mayor Chen Chi-mai is not on the 2026 ballot

Analytical Scope: InfoMiner measures online discussion, not voting intention. This page does not forecast ballot outcomes. All historical vote tallies and statutory opinion surveys cited on this page derive exclusively from official election authorities, published news releases, and scientific polling disclosures.

Why the Kaohsiung Mayoral Race Matters

Kaohsiung is Taiwan's major southern port and industrial metropolis. Both leading candidates have praised incumbent Mayor Chen Chi-mai for building a concert economy that has drawn international acts. Lai Jui-lung has pledged to develop AI computing centers and semiconductor packaging and testing centers; Ko Chih-en has emphasized traditional-industry revitalization, airport access without a curfew, and north-south resource balance.

Because incumbent Mayor Chen Chi-mai is not on the 2026 ballot (open seat), this election is a critical bellwether for Taiwan's political geography. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) seeks to defend its traditional southern stronghold, while the opposition Kuomintang (KMT) aims to repeat the historic breakthrough achieved in 2018 under Han Kuo-yu. With Ko Chih-en mounting her second consecutive mayoral campaign following her 2022 challenge against Chen, the contest features an experienced opposition challenger facing legislator and former Kaohsiung city agency director Lai Jui-lung.

Certified Candidates for Kaohsiung Mayor

The Kaohsiung City Election Commission drew official ballot lots on October 27, 2026, after a delay caused by a typhoon (颱風薔琵). Five candidates are certified on the official ballot.

Ko Chih-en (柯志恩)

Kuomintang (KMT) Nominee

Background & Credentials

Born April 29, 1962. Ko holds a Ph.D. in educational psychology from the University of Southern California and previously served as dean of student affairs and professor at Tamkang University's Graduate Institute of Educational Psychology and Counseling. A former Golden Bell Award-winning host of the TTV program 世界真奇妙, she served in the 9th and 11th Legislative Yuan and is currently an at-large legislator and chief executive officer of the National Policy Foundation (國家政策研究基金會). She was the KMT mayoral nominee in 2022, securing 40.16% of the vote.

Key Municipal Platform

205th Arsenal Redevelopment: Proposes transforming the 57-hectare former arsenal site in downtown Kaohsiung into an upmarket special business and residential district modeled after New York City's Manhattan, rivaling and surpassing Taipei's Xinyi commercial district. Pledges to relocate Kaohsiung City Hall and City Council to the site.
Regional Balance & Oversight: Pledges to establish an Office for Regional Equality within her first month in office to resolve resource disparities stemming from the Kaohsiung City and County merger, alongside establishing an anti-bullying office.
Economic Revitalization & Transportation: Three action plans: a dedicated municipal fund to revitalize traditional industries, comprehensive land and air transit integration, and ensuring Kaohsiung International Airport operates with no curfew.

Campaign Strategy & Electoral Base

Ko's campaign centers on the "Three Mountains" (三山) strategy across Fengshan, Gangshan, and Cishan (Qishan, 旗山)—districts with historic military dependants' villages and strong local clan and Hakka networks. On November 7, 2026, she concluded her Three Mountains tour in Cishan alongside Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) and Taiwan People's Party (TPP) Chairman Huang Kuo-chang (黃國昌), seeking to consolidate pan-Blue and pan-White coalition support.

Debate Scrutiny & Counter-Arguments

During the October 30 televised debate, Ko characterized Lai as a "New Tide baby" backed by the DPP's New Tide faction, criticized DPP one-party dominance, and questioned Lai regarding political campaign donations received from solar energy developers and subsequent legislative hearings. She rejected Lai's claim that KMT amendments to the Revenue Allocation Act allocated an additional 3 percent to Taipei, calling the assertion baseless, and defended her at-large legislative record addressing education, energy, and school council reform.

Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆)

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Nominee

Background & Credentials

Born November 15, 1973. Lai earned a master's degree from National Taiwan University's Graduate Institute of National Development (cross-strait group) and a bachelor's from Soochow University's Department of Political Science. His public service career includes senior secretary at the Government Information Office, Council of Labor Affairs specialist, and director of both the Kaohsiung Information Bureau and Ocean Bureau. In the Legislative Yuan, he is the incumbent legislator for Kaohsiung's 8th district and has served as convener of the Economics and Interior committees, deputy caucus whip, and convener of the DPP Central Review Committee.

Key Municipal Platform

205th Arsenal Industrial Reservation: Said the 57-hectare site near the Asia New Bay Area should be reserved for future industrial development, and criticized Ko's proposal to relocate City Hall and the City Council there as a heavy financial burden on the city.
Industrial & Talent Leadership: Pledges to make Kaohsiung Taiwan's "No. 1 city for industry" by building AI computing centers, semiconductor packaging and testing centers, an international talent training hub, and an industrial upgrading fund.
Aviation & Social Welfare: Pledges to upgrade the new terminal at Kaohsiung International Airport, pursue a new 24-hour offshore airport, and implement child welfare expansions including a newborn subsidy of around US$1,500 per child (TaiwanPlus; the same report also stated around US$1,530).

Campaign Strategy & Electoral Base

Lai positions himself as the continuity candidate building on Mayor Chen Chi-mai's governance and the "concert economy." Backed by the DPP's local legislative delegation and central administration leaders—including President Lai Ching-te, Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an, and Interior Minister Liu Shih-fang—Lai mobilized his base at a major rally in Gangshan on November 7, 2026, reinforced by video outreach from DPP Taipei mayoral nominee Puma Shen (沈伯洋).

Debate Scrutiny & Counter-Arguments

In the October 30 debate, Lai stated that all political contributions to his campaign had been fully declared according to law and that legislative hearings sought expert input on national energy policy rather than advancing individual corporate interests. He criticized the KMT's 2024 proposals on the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures for skewing resources toward northern Taiwan and questioned Ko's local connection to Kaohsiung, alleging she prioritized national party agendas over municipal infrastructure funding.

Other Certified Candidates on the Ballot

Chang Ching (張靜) — Judicial Reform Party (司法改革黨; also noted as Judicial Revolution Party in Focus Taiwan reporting). Born May 27, 1956. National Chengchi University law graduate, former chief of the Lianjiang civil division of the Kinmen District Court, practicing attorney, and party chair.

Wang Chao-min (王肇民) — Independent. Born August 29, 1963. Bachelor of Architecture from National Taipei University of Technology (NTUT) and founder of the preparatory office for the Taiwan One Heart Party (台灣一條心創黨籌備處).

Hung Fang-lung (洪方隆) — Independent. Born November 24, 1963. Environmental engineering graduate from National Chung Hsing University and founder of 長春藤電訊公司.

Key Municipal Policy Battlegrounds

The televised mayoral debate held on Friday, October 30, 2026, featured four structured segments: opening statements, media questioning, candidate cross-examination, and closing arguments. The debate established three central municipal battlegrounds:

1. The 57-Hectare 205th Arsenal Redevelopment

Founded in 1945, the Armaments Bureau's 205th Arsenal produced small arms under 40mm for Taiwan's military. Its relocation from downtown Kaohsiung to Dashu District (大樹區) was completed in 2025, freeing 57 hectares in the city core.

Ko Chih-en: Proposes creating a high-density, upscale commercial and residential district rivaling Manhattan and surpassing Taipei's Xinyi District, anchored by the relocation of Kaohsiung City Hall and City Council. She criticized Lai's vision as incomplete and vague regarding tech-park development.
Lai Jui-lung: Said the site near the Asia New Bay Area should be reserved for future industrial development, and argued that moving City Hall and the City Council there would impose a heavy financial burden. Ko said Lai's ideas were incomplete, citing examples such as attracting Nvidia or turning the site into an artificial intelligence park.

2. Fiscal Equity & Legislative Records

The candidates clashed over national legislative deliberations and fiscal revenue distribution between central and municipal levels under the Act Governing the Allocation of Government Revenues and Expenditures.

Revenue Allocation: Lai criticized the KMT for introducing a 2024 legislative proposal that would have increased Taipei's revenue allocation by 3 percent, urging voters to reject northern-skewed policies. Ko denied that any 3 percent provision for Taipei existed in the amendment and accused Lai of spreading rumors.
Legislative Priorities: Lai accused Ko of cutting budgets earmarked for Kaohsiung and prioritizing national party directives. Ko countered that at-large legislators handle nationwide energy and education reform, citing her oversight of illegal sand and gravel mining in Meinong District and pledging an office for regional equality within her first month in office.

3. Aviation, Social Welfare & Concert Economy

Long-term connectivity and municipal support systems drew competing infrastructure plans and welfare commitments:

Airports & Logistics: Ko called for upgrading Kaohsiung International Airport into an unrestricted international hub operating with no curfew. Lai pledged terminal upgrades alongside developing a new 24-hour offshore airport.
Child Welfare & Quality of Life: Lai proposed social welfare enhancements including a newborn subsidy of around US$1,500 per child (TaiwanPlus; the same report also stated around US$1,530). Ko emphasized youth safety by pledging an anti-bullying office as her first executive action.
Concert Economy: Both candidates praised incumbent Mayor Chen Chi-mai for establishing Kaohsiung's "concert economy," which attracted major international acts and boosted local commercial activity.

Published Opinion Polls & Statutory Disclosures

Under Article 53 of the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act, public opinion poll reporting must specify the survey conductor, commissioning entity, sample size, sampling methodology, survey dates, and margin of error. The table below presents the scientific poll released by the United Daily News Poll Center that satisfies these statutory requirements:

Survey Dates	Polling Conductor & Funding	Methodology & Sample Size	Lai Jui-lung (DPP)	Ko Chih-en (KMT)	Other Candidates	Undecided / Refusal
Oct 28–31, 2026 Released Nov 2, 2026	United Daily News Poll Center Funded by United Daily News (聯合報)	Dual-frame landline & mobile RDD; weighted by sex and age of registered voters 20+. n=1,101 valid interviews (279 refusals); MoE: ±3.0% at 95% confidence	40%	33%	<1% (Combined total for candidates #1, #2, #4)	26%

Additional survey finding: In a separate question in the same United Daily News survey regarding electoral expectations, 49% of respondents expected Lai Jui-lung to win, compared to 21% who expected Ko Chih-en to win.

Candidate reactions: Ko stated that the survey's fieldwork took place largely before the October 30 televised debate, noting that pan-Blue momentum had strengthened following the debate. Lai noted Mayor Chen Chi-mai's advice to remain cautious and humble throughout the remaining campaign period.

Additional pre-debate polling: Lianhe Zaobao reported that a second survey conducted by Fengcan Media was completed prior to the October 30 debate and also showed Lai ahead of Ko; however, complete methodological disclosures for that survey were not detailed in original source excerpts.

Historical Election Baseline in Kaohsiung

To provide context for the 2026 contest, historical Central Election Commission (CEC) data from recent municipal races in Kaohsiung are summarized below (reported via Formosa TV and READr):

Election Year	Winning Candidate	Runner-Up Candidate	Turnout Rate	Key Context
2022 Mayoral Election	Chen Chi-mai (DPP) 766,147 votes (58.10%)	Ko Chih-en (KMT) 529,607 votes (40.16%)	58.61%	Ko's 2022 campaign against then-incumbent Chen Chi-mai.
2020 Mayoral By-Election	Chen Chi-mai (DPP) 671,804 votes (70.03%)	Lee Mei-chen (李眉蓁, KMT) 248,478 votes	41.83% (2,301,597 registered)	Wu Yi-cheng (吳益政, TPP) received 38,960 votes. Held after the Han Kuo-yu recall (939,090 agree votes).
2018 Mayoral Election	Han Kuo-yu (KMT) 892,545 votes (53.86%)	Chen Chi-mai (DPP) 742,239 votes (44.79%)	73.54% (1,677,650 votes cast)	Historic KMT win breaking two decades of DPP governance; driven by Han's "Three Mountains" campaign.

Academic analysts Liu Chia-wei (National Taipei University) and Liu Chao-lung (National Changhua University of Education) observed in Lianhe Zaobao that televised debates primarily consolidate existing supporter bases. Liu Chao-lung noted that while Ko gained debate visibility, a persistent demographic gap remains between pan-Blue and pan-Green bases in Kaohsiung, recalling that even during Han Kuo-yu's 2018 victory, Chen Chi-mai maintained 44.79% (or 44.8% rounded) of the vote.

Recent Campaign Developments & Key Schedule

On Saturday, November 7, 2026, the two major campaigns staged large simultaneous mobilizations across Kaohsiung, marking the fourth same-day dual-rally face-off of the race:

KMT Cishan Rally (Nov 7)

Ko held the concluding rally of her "Three Mountains" series in Cishan (Qishan, 旗山) District. Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an appeared in person, urging closer inter-city coordination between Taipei and Kaohsiung. TPP Chairman Huang Kuo-chang addressed the crowd in support of Ko. Ko pledged to establish an office to redress municipal resource imbalances within her first month in office if elected.

DPP Gangshan Rally (Nov 7)

Lai Jui-lung mobilized the "North Kaohsiung Long-Ocean Support Rally" (北高隆洋應援會) in Gangshan District. President Lai Ching-te, Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an, Interior Minister Liu Shih-fang, and Mayor Chen Chi-mai appeared onstage alongside local DPP legislators. DPP Taipei mayoral nominee Puma Shen delivered a Taiwanese-language video address urging attendees with contacts in Taipei to support his campaign.

Upcoming Campaign Milestones

As reported by Liberty Times, three subsequent major face-offs are scheduled prior to voting day:

November 14, 2026: Official Public Platform Presentation (公辦政見發表會) organized by the Kaohsiung City Election Commission.
November 21, 2026: "Golden Week" (黃金週) mass rallies. Ko will stage a rally in Fengshan District, while Lai will hold a rally in Cishan District.
November 27, 2026: Election Eve (選前之夜) rallies. DPP supporters will assemble in Fengshan District; KMT supporters will gather in front of Dream Mall in Cianjhen District (前鎮).
November 28, 2026: Voting day from 08:00 to 16:00, held concurrently with a national nuclear energy referendum.

Online Discussion & InfoMiner Analysis

Methodological Reminder: InfoMiner measures online discussion volume, community engagement, and digital sentiment; it does not measure voting intention and does not forecast election outcomes. High online discussion volume reflects viral engagement and political interest, which may differ from ballot box distribution.

Following the October 30 televised debate, video excerpts and social exchanges circulated widely on Facebook and Threads. Post-debate exchanges focused on Ko's cross-examination of solar energy contributions and Lai's defense of legislative hearings, alongside disputes over revenue-sharing amendments.

Readers seeking detailed analysis of netizen discussion and community commentary surrounding the debate may consult InfoMiner's Chinese debate-reaction report:

Read Debate Netizen Reaction Analysis (Chinese) Note: This article analyzes online sentiment dynamics and discussion topics; it is not a scientific public opinion poll.

To track digital presence and candidate discussion metrics across all constituencies, visit the Candidate Comparison Hub and the Kaohsiung City Chinese Situation Room.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Who are the major candidates in the 2026 Kaohsiung mayoral election?

The major candidates are Legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩, Ballot #3) representing the Kuomintang (KMT) and Legislator Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆, Ballot #5) representing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Three additional certified candidates are on the ballot: Chang Ching (司法改革黨, Ballot #1), Wang Chao-min (Independent, Ballot #2), and Hung Fang-lung (Independent, Ballot #4).

2. Why does the Kaohsiung mayoral race matter beyond Taiwan?

Kaohsiung is Taiwan's major southern port and industrial hub. Both leading candidates have praised the concert economy developed under Mayor Chen Chi-mai, and Lai has pledged to develop AI computing centers and semiconductor packaging and testing centers. With Chen not on the 2026 ballot, the open-seat contest is watched as a test of whether the DPP holds this southern stronghold.

3. What are the main campaign issues?

Prominent issues include the redevelopment master plan for the relocated 57-hectare 205th Armaments Arsenal, central-local tax revenue allocation under the Revenue Allocation Act, Kaohsiung airport curfew and offshore airport proposals, social welfare subsidies for newborns, and the promotion of Kaohsiung's concert economy.

4. How does InfoMiner cover the Kaohsiung race?

InfoMiner tracks online social and media discussion to analyze public attention and digital sentiment. InfoMiner does not measure voting intention and does not forecast ballot outcomes. Statutory scientific polls conducted by third-party polling institutes are published with full methodological disclosures.

Numbered Primary Sources & Citations

Focus Taiwan / CNA English (Nov 7, 2026): "Taipei mayoral rivals step up campaigns; back allies in Kaohsiung" — https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202611070012
Liberty Times (自由時報, Nov 8, 2026): "高雄市長選舉還有3回「尬場」政見會、黃金週、選前之夜" by 王榮祥 — https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/Kaohsiung/breakingnews/5633243
Focus Taiwan / CNA English (Oct 31, 2026): "Kaohsiung mayoral debate focuses on 205th Arsenal redevelopment, political donations" — https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202610310005
TaiwanPlus (Oct 31, 2026): "Candidates for Kaohsiung Mayor Outline Their Plans in Debate" — https://www.taiwanplus.com/news/taiwan-news/politics/261031004/candidates-for-kaohsiung-mayor-outline-their-plans-in-debate
Central News Agency (中央社, Oct 27, 2026): "2026九合一選舉縣市長參選人抽籤號次一覽" — https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202610275002.aspx
Focus Taiwan (Sept 7, 2026): "2026 local elections: County, city head candidates" — https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202609075001
United Daily News (聯合報, Nov 2, 2026): "聯合報民調／高雄激戰柯志恩緊追賴瑞隆" — https://udn.com/news/story/124652/9850777
Lianhe Zaobao English (Nov 7, 2026): "Ko Chih-en earns 'warrior' nickname after sharp debate performance; wider appeal remains untested" by Lai Oi Lai — https://www.zaobao.com.sg/en/news/china/ko-chih-en-earns-warrior-nickname-after-sharp-debate-performance-wider-appeal-remains-untested
Formosa TV News (民視, Nov 26, 2022): "快新聞／陳其邁76萬6147票成功連任！學者曝未能衝破百萬關鍵" — https://www.ftvnews.com.tw/news/detail/2022B26W0172
READr (2022): "2022縣市首長選舉高雄市票數資料" — https://whoareyou.readr.tw/election?area=%E9%AB%98%E9%9B%84%E5%B8%82&type=%E7%B8%A3%E5%B8%82%E9%A6%96%E9%95%B7&year=2022
TVBS News (2026): "2026九合一選舉候選人名單出爐！22縣市長登記提名、六都戰況與投票時程一覽" — https://news.tvbs.com.tw/politics/4017384
Business Weekly (商業周刊, Nov 5, 2026): "2026九合一選舉11/28投票！22縣市長候選人名單、電視辯論、核電公投一次看" — https://www.businessweekly.com.tw/focus/blog/3023436
InfoMiner Election Lab (Oct 31, 2026): "高雄市長辯論後，網友怎麼看柯志恩和賴瑞隆？" — https://election.infominer.io/articles/kaohsiung-mayor-debate-2026-netizen-reaction/
Radio Taiwan International (RTI, 2026): "2026九合一選舉參選人專頁" — https://election2026.rti.org.tw/candidates.html