Taiwan 2026 Elections (English) / Tainan Mayor 2026
English
Voting Day: Saturday, Nov 28, 2026 4 Certified Candidates Ballot Lots Drawn: Oct 27, 2026 Open Seat: Term-Limited Mayor Huang Wei-che (DPP)

Tainan Mayor 2026: Hsieh Lung-chieh vs Chen Ting-fei

The 2026 Tainan mayoral election on November 28, 2026 is an open-seat race to elect Tainan's 5th-term mayor as two-term incumbent Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲, DPP) cannot run again [1, 5], featuring four certified ballot candidates [1, 2] including Kuomintang (KMT) at-large legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) and Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) district legislator Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) [2, 7, 8].

Candidate Profiles Policy Comparison 2022 Baseline Results Primary Sources
Certified Ballot
4 Candidates
Official ballot lots drawn on Oct 27, 2026 by Tainan City Election Commission [1, 2]
2022 Election Baseline
48.80% vs 43.63%
Huang Wei-che (433,684) defeated Hsieh Lung-chieh (387,731) with 58.68% turnout [6]
Voting Schedule
Nov 28, 2026
Electing Tainan's 5th-term mayor and 57 city councilors across 13 districts [1]
Incumbency Status
Open Seat
Incumbent Mayor Huang Wei-che (DPP) has completed two terms and cannot run again [5]
Key Election Facts: 2026 Tainan Mayoral Race
Election Date Saturday, November 28, 2026 (Part of Taiwan's nationwide nine-in-one local elections) [1]
Seat Contested 5th-term Mayor of Tainan; open seat as incumbent Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲, DPP) has served two terms and cannot seek re-election [1, 5]
Certified Candidates 4 candidates: #1 Hsiao Lin-hung (蕭燐洪), #2 Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介), #3 Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃), #4 Yeh Jen-wen (葉人文) [2]
Official Campaign Period November 13, 2026 to November 27, 2026 (15 days) [1, 3]
Platform Presentation Dates Two official sessions: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 from 18:30 and Friday, November 20, 2026 from 18:30 (Taiwan time). Broadcast on Tainan cable public-access channel 3 and the Tainan City Election Commission YouTube channel; candidates present platforms in turn (not a head-to-head debate) [4]
Concurrent Municipal Elections 57 Tainan City Council seats (55 district seats, 1 lowland Indigenous seat, 1 mountain Indigenous seat); 88 council candidates registered across 13 electoral districts [1]

Analytical Scope: InfoMiner measures online discussion, not voting intention. This page does not forecast ballot outcomes. All historical vote tallies, candidate platform disclosures, and statutory schedules cited on this page derive exclusively from official election commissions, certified campaign releases, and published news reports.

Why the 2026 Tainan Mayoral Race Matters

Tainan is electing its 5th-term mayor alongside 57 city councilors across 13 electoral districts [1]. The contest is an open-seat election because incumbent Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has served two terms and cannot run again [5].

In the 2022 election, Huang Wei-che won re-election with 433,684 votes (48.80%), defeating Kuomintang (KMT) candidate Hsieh Lung-chieh, who received 387,731 votes (43.63%), in an election with 58.68% voter turnout among 1,548,203 eligible voters [6]. The 2026 race features a contest between two sitting legislators: KMT at-large legislator Hsieh Lung-chieh, running for mayor for a second time [6, 7], and longtime DPP district legislator Chen Ting-fei, who won her party's nomination in the primary [8].

Certified Candidates for Tainan Mayor

The Tainan City Election Commission conducted the official ballot lot drawing on October 27, 2026, certifying four candidates on the ballot for the November 28, 2026 mayoral election [1, 2]:

Ballot # Candidate Name Party Affiliation Current / Notable Public Office
1 Hsiao Lin-hung (蕭燐洪) Taiwan SoR Party (臺灣SoR無法黨) Nominee, Taiwan SoR Party [2]
2 Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) Kuomintang (KMT) At-large Legislator (11th Legislative Yuan); former Tainan City Councilor [7]
3 Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) District Legislator for Tainan; former Tainan City Councilor [8]
4 Yeh Jen-wen (葉人文) Independent Independent candidate [2]
2

Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介)

Kuomintang (KMT) Nominee

Background & Credentials

Hsieh serves as a current at-large (party-list) legislator in the 11th Legislative Yuan [7]. He previously served as a Tainan city councilor and held the post of KMT vice secretary-general [7]. Hsieh was the KMT candidate for Tainan mayor in the 2022 election, where he secured 387,731 votes (43.63%) [6, 7]. He drew ballot number 2 on October 27, 2026 [2].

Campaign Platform & Strategic Focus

Hsieh has pledged to serve only one term if elected mayor [7]. His campaign slogan is 「翻轉大台南，人民贏一次」 ("Turn Greater Tainan around, let the people win once") [7]. In September 2026, he established cross-party cooperation with the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) through a joint KMT-TPP service center [7]. He launched an official campaign policy website on November 5, 2026 [12].

Key Municipal Policy Proposals

  • Housing & Family: Proposed the "You have the children, we provide the home" policy offering marriage-and-childbirth housing at construction cost of NT$150,000 per ping, targeting 4,000 to 8,000 units during his term, alongside higher child-rearing allowances [7].
  • Senior Care & Health (65+): Pledged full waiver of National Health Insurance premiums for residents aged 65 and older, an NT$3,000 Double Ninth senior bonus, a monthly senior card allowance of NT$1,000, and free shingles vaccinations [7].
  • Governance & Road Safety: Pledged to investigate alleged municipal corruption [7]. On November 9, 2026, he proposed systematic road-pothole inspections and faster repairs, prioritizing dangerous road sections [9].

Campaign Activities & Outreach

Hsieh coordinates campaign initiatives through the joint KMT-TPP service center [7] and disseminates municipal platform details through his dedicated policy website launched on November 5 [12]. He is scheduled to present his platform in turn at the two official televised candidate platform sessions organized by the election commission on November 17 and November 20 [4].

3

Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃)

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Nominee

Background & Credentials

Chen is a current district legislator representing Tainan, having won continuous re-election since her first legislative victory [8]. She entered politics upon election to the Tainan City Council at age 23, previously worked as a journalist, and has 28 years of political experience [8]. After losing the 2018 DPP mayoral primary to Huang Wei-che, she won the 2026 DPP primary over fellow legislator Lin Chun-hsien [8]. She drew ballot number 3 on October 27, 2026 [2].

Campaign Platform & Strategic Focus

Chen's campaign emphasizes that she would become the first female mayor in Tainan's 400-year history [8]. Her core regional strategy is to "connect the areas south and north of the Zengwen River" (溪南溪北大串聯) [5]. She has pledged that, if elected, she will donate 30% of her official election subsidy to a fund dedicated to rural education and medical care [12].

Key Municipal Policy Proposals

  • Economy & Technology: Proposed "three tech axes" centered on the Southern Taiwan Science Park, four-season agriculture and fisheries initiatives, and five tourism axes across the municipality [5, 9].
  • Municipal Welfare Parity: Proposed "welfare on par with the six special municipalities," benchmarking Tainan's welfare against Taiwan's other five special municipalities to close benefit gaps for children, women, and seniors year by year as city finances allow [5, 9].
  • Transit & Connectivity: Proposed the "seven-color transport" initiative to accelerate railway undergrounding and the expansion of the Tainan MRT network [5].

Campaign Activities & Outreach

Chen is conducting a grassroots bicycle campaign tour traversing all 37 administrative districts across Tainan [12]. Her policy positions and regional development plans have been outlined in official statements and press reporting in early November [5, 9]. She is scheduled to present her platform in turn at the two official televised candidate platform sessions on November 17 and November 20 [4].

Other Certified Candidates on the Ballot

Limited public platform information has been published for the other registered candidates [5]. In accordance with official certification records, their ballot numbers and party affiliations are [1, 2]:

1
Hsiao Lin-hung (蕭燐洪) — Taiwan SoR Party (臺灣SoR無法黨) [1, 2]. Certified candidate drawing ballot number 1 on October 27, 2026 [2]; limited public platform information has been published [5].
4
Yeh Jen-wen (葉人文) — Independent [1, 2]. Certified candidate drawing ballot number 4 on October 27, 2026 [2]; limited public platform information has been published [5].

Policy Comparison: Key Municipal Domains

The certified major-party candidates have outlined specific policy proposals across major municipal governance areas, compiled strictly from verified campaign releases and public reporting:

Policy Domain Hsieh Lung-chieh (KMT, Ballot #2) Chen Ting-fei (DPP, Ballot #3)
Housing & Family
  • Marriage & Childbirth Housing: "You have the children, we provide the home" policy offering housing at construction cost of NT$150,000 per ping [7].
  • Unit Targets: Targets building 4,000 to 8,000 units during his mayoral term [7].
  • Child Allowances: Pledges higher municipal child-rearing allowances [7].
  • Welfare Parity: Proposes "welfare on par with the six special municipalities" to benchmark municipal family and child welfare against Taiwan's other five special municipalities [5].
  • Targeted Support: Pledges to close support gaps for children and women year by year as municipal finances permit [5].
Seniors & Welfare
  • Health Insurance Waiver: Full waiver of National Health Insurance premiums for residents aged 65 and older [7].
  • Senior Bonus: NT$3,000 Double Ninth senior bonus [7].
  • Subsidies & Vaccines: Senior card allowance of NT$1,000 per month and free shingles vaccinations [7].
  • Senior Welfare Parity: Benchmarks senior welfare programs against the other five special municipalities, closing benefits gaps year by year as finances allow [5].
  • Subsidy Donation: Pledged to donate 30% of her official election subsidy, if elected, to a fund dedicated to rural education and medical care [12].
Transport & Infrastructure
  • Road-Pothole Repair: Proposed on November 9, 2026 systematic road-pothole inspections and faster repairs across the city [9].
  • Safety Prioritization: Prioritizes repair of dangerous road sections with dense potholes [9].
  • "Seven-Color Transport": Proposes the "seven-color transport" initiative to accelerate railway undergrounding and the expansion of the Tainan MRT network [5].
  • River Connection: Regional connectivity plan to "connect the areas south and north of the Zengwen River" (溪南溪北大串聯) [5].
Economy & Tech
  • Not specified in cited sources: The sources cited here report no specific economy or technology figures for Hsieh; his full platform is published on his campaign policy website [5, 12].
  • "Three Tech Axes": High-tech industrial development centered on the Southern Taiwan Science Park [5, 9].
  • Primary Industries: Four-season agriculture and fisheries development initiatives [5].
  • Tourism: Development of five distinct tourism axes across Tainan [5].
Governance & Municipal Administration
  • Term Limit Pledge: Pledges to serve only a single four-year term as mayor [7].
  • Campaign Slogan: 「翻轉大台南，人民贏一次」 ("Turn Greater Tainan around, let the people win once") [7].
  • Anti-Corruption: Pledges to investigate alleged municipal corruption [7].
  • Cross-Party Cooperation: Joint cooperation with the Taiwan People's Party (TPP) through a joint KMT-TPP service center established in September 2026 [7].
  • Historic Representation: Campaigns to become the first female mayor in Tainan's 400-year history [8].
  • Experience: 28 years of political experience, elected Tainan city councilor at age 23 and later elected district legislator, re-elected since [8].
  • Grassroots Fieldwork: Conducting a bicycle campaign tour across all 37 Tainan administrative districts [12].
  • Public Fund Donation: Pledged to donate 30% of her election subsidy, if elected, to a rural education and medical care fund [12].

2022 Tainan Mayoral Election Baseline Results

In the previous municipal election held on November 26, 2022, incumbent Mayor Huang Wei-che (DPP) won re-election against KMT challenger Hsieh Lung-chieh and three independent candidates. Official Central Election Commission (CEC) results were recorded as follows [6]:

Candidate Party Affiliation Votes Received Vote Share (%) Electoral Outcome
Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) 433,684 48.80% Elected
Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介) Kuomintang (KMT) 387,731 43.63% Runner-up
Hsu Chung-hsin Independent 38,697 4.35% Not elected
Lin Yi-feng Independent 24,606 2.77% Not elected
Wu Ping-hui Independent 3,956 0.45% Not elected

Turnout and Electorate: The 2022 mayoral election had 1,548,203 eligible voters in Tainan, with an official voter turnout of 58.68% [6].

Official Campaign Schedule & Platform Presentations

Key statutory milestones and official presentation dates set by the Central Election Commission (CEC) and Tainan City Election Commission include [1, 3, 4]:

  • October 27, 2026: Official ballot lot drawings conducted by the Tainan City Election Commission, drawing ballot numbers #1 Hsiao Lin-hung, #2 Hsieh Lung-chieh, #3 Chen Ting-fei, and #4 Yeh Jen-wen [1, 2].
  • November 5, 2026: Hsieh Lung-chieh launched his campaign policy website [12].
  • November 13 to November 27, 2026: Official 15-day campaign period for the mayoral election [1, 3].
  • Tuesday, November 17, 2026 (18:30 Taiwan Time): First official televised candidate platform presentation organized by the Tainan City Election Commission, broadcast on Tainan cable public-access channel 3 and the commission's YouTube channel; candidates present platforms in turn (not a head-to-head debate) [4].
  • Wednesday, November 18, 2026 (00:00 Taiwan Time): Statutory polling blackout takes effect under Article 53 of the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act, prohibiting the publication, dissemination, or citation of public opinion polls until voting concludes.
  • Friday, November 20, 2026 (18:30 Taiwan Time): Second official televised candidate platform presentation organized by the Tainan City Election Commission, broadcast on Tainan cable public-access channel 3 and the commission's YouTube channel [4].
  • Saturday, November 28, 2026 (08:00–16:00): Voting day for Taiwan's nationwide nine-in-one local elections, electing Tainan's 5th-term mayor and 57 city councilors across 13 electoral districts [1].

Statutory Polling Blackout Notice: Under Article 53, Paragraph 3 of Taiwan's Civil Servants Election and Recall Act, publishing, reporting, disseminating, commenting upon, or citing public opinion polls regarding candidates or the election is strictly prohibited from 10 days before voting day until the close of polling.

For the 2026 local elections, the statutory blackout is in effect from November 18, 2026 at 00:00 to November 28, 2026 at 16:00 (Taipei time). In compliance with the law, this page does not publish poll numbers or survey data. For full statutory context, see our explainer on the 2026 Statutory Poll Blackout (Article 53).

Election Integrity & Campaign Security

Heading toward voting day, judicial authorities and election commissions have highlighted measures regarding campaign security, digital authenticity, and external interference:

  • AI-Generated Content Warning: On November 9, 2026, Taiwan's Central Election Commission released a television commercial warning voters about AI-generated synthetic media and deepfakes during the election period, and reminded people not to share election-related information without verifying it first [10].
  • Judicial Probes into Directed Candidacies: In early November 2026, prosecutors in Tainan and Hsinchu detained two members of the Taiwan People's Communist Party over alleged Chinese Communist Party (CCP)-directed candidacies for local borough warden posts [11]. In accordance with Taiwan's legal process, all suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

For broader context on Taiwan's election security frameworks, cross-strait interference investigations, and disinformation countermeasures, read our dedicated guide on Election Interference & Disinformation in Taiwan's 2026 Elections.

How InfoMiner Covers the Tainan Mayoral Race

Methodological Notice: InfoMiner measures online discussion, not voting intention. High digital volume reflects online discussion, media focus, and candidate visibility; it does not measure voting intention and does not forecast ballot outcomes.

InfoMiner Election Lab tracks digital public engagement, media coverage, and discussion dynamics across public news reports, community message boards, and social media channels. These metrics reflect digital public attention surrounding candidate policy announcements and campaign milestones.

In accordance with editorial and statutory standards, this explainer presents no prediction-market odds, speculative projections, or proprietary discussion-volume and sentiment numbers for the Tainan contest. All historical election data, candidate profiles, and platform details cited on this page derive exclusively from official election records, verified news coverage, and primary campaign announcements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the certified candidates in the 2026 Tainan mayoral election?

Four candidates are certified on the official ballot: Hsiao Lin-hung (蕭燐洪, Ballot #1) of the Taiwan SoR Party (臺灣SoR無法黨), Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介, Ballot #2) of the Kuomintang (KMT), Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃, Ballot #3) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), and Yeh Jen-wen (葉人文, Ballot #4), running as an independent.

Why is the 2026 Tainan mayoral race an open-seat election?

Incumbent Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has served two terms and cannot run again, creating an open-seat contest to elect Tainan's 5th-term mayor.

When and how are the official candidate platform presentations conducted?

The Tainan City Election Commission has scheduled two official platform presentation sessions: Tuesday, November 17, 2026 starting at 18:30 and Friday, November 20, 2026 starting at 18:30 (Taiwan time). Both sessions will be broadcast live on Tainan cable public-access channel 3 and the Tainan City Election Commission YouTube channel. Candidates will present their platforms in turn rather than in a head-to-head debate format.

What are the core policy platforms of Hsieh Lung-chieh and Chen Ting-fei?

Hsieh Lung-chieh pledges to serve only one term, proposing 'You have the children, we provide the home' housing at construction cost (NT$150,000 per ping) targeting 4,000–8,000 units, higher child allowances, premium waivers and bonuses for seniors 65 and older, anti-corruption probes, and systematic road-pothole repairs. Chen Ting-fei campaigns on becoming Tainan's first female mayor and connecting areas south and north of the Zengwen River, proposing three tech axes centered on the Southern Taiwan Science Park, four-season agriculture and fisheries, five tourism axes, municipal welfare parity with the other five special municipalities, 'seven-color transport' with rail undergrounding and MRT expansion, and donating 30% of her election subsidy to rural education and healthcare.

Why are opinion polls not published or cited on this page?

Under Article 53 of Taiwan's Civil Servants Election and Recall Act, publishing, reporting, disseminating, or citing public opinion surveys relating to candidates or the election is strictly prohibited from November 18, 2026 through the close of voting on November 28, 2026. In accordance with statutory blackout regulations, InfoMiner does not publish or cite polling figures.

How does InfoMiner cover the Tainan mayoral race?

InfoMiner measures online discussion, not voting intention. High online discussion volume reflects media coverage and public engagement across public news sources and social platforms, but it does not measure voting intention and does not forecast ballot outcomes.

Numbered Primary Sources & Citations

  1. Tainan City Election Commission via TaiwanHot (Oct 27, 2026): "臺南市順利完成市長、市議員暨里長選舉號次抽籤　將於競選活動期間前一日公告" — https://www.taiwanhot.net/news/1152064/
  2. FTV News (Oct 27, 2026): "快新聞／選戰倒數32天！全台22縣市長候選人號次出爐　完整名單一次看" — https://www.ftvnews.com.tw/news/detail/2026A27W0609
  3. TaiwanHot (Oct 27, 2026): "臺南市順利完成市長、市議員暨里長選舉號次抽籤" (campaign period notice in the same report) — https://www.taiwanhot.net/news/1152064/
  4. NOWnews (Nov 10, 2026): "九合一大選六都政見會時間、轉播資訊一覽 蔣萬安、沈伯洋再碰頭" — https://www.nownews.com/news/6890740
  5. Yam / 報新聞 (Nov 2, 2026): "台南市長政見對照 謝龍介婚育宅每坪15萬 陳亭妃福利六都齊串溪南溪北" — https://n.yam.com/Article/20261102862549
  6. Liberty Times (Nov 27, 2022): "得票率48.8％ 黃偉哲43萬票連任" (citing Central Election Commission) — https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/Tainan/paper/1553806
  7. Central News Agency (CNA, Nov 8, 2026): "謝龍介再次拚台南市長　婚育宅等政見搏認同" — https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202611080093.aspx
  8. Central News Agency (CNA, Nov 8, 2026): "陳亭妃樸實裝扮扎根地方　挑戰府城400年首任女市長" — https://www.cna.com.tw/news/aipl/202611080090.aspx
  9. United Daily News (UDN, Nov 10, 2026): "台南催票…陳亭妃喊補齊福利 謝龍介提路平政見" — https://udn.com/news/story/124652/9867797
  10. Taipei Times (Nov 10, 2026): "Election body airs deepfake warning" — https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2026/11/10/2003867471
  11. Institute for the Study of War (ISW, Nov 10, 2026): "China & Taiwan Update, November 10, 2026" — https://understandingwar.org/research/china-taiwan/china-taiwan-update-november-10-2026/
  12. Taiwan News (Nov 5, 2026): "Hsieh Lung-chieh launches Tainan mayoral campaign policy website" — https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/6472454