The number of candidates registered for the Dec. 1 elections increased dramatically yesterday, which was not only National Day but also an auspicious day on the lunar calendar.
More than 200 legislative candidates and 50 mayoral and county commissioner candidates throughout Taiwan officially registered with local offices of the Central Election Commission yesterday.
On Sunday, the first day of registration, just 32 legislative candidates and six city mayoral and county commissioner candidates registered.
The lunar calendar was the main reason for the difference. Sunday was said to be an inauspicious day, keeping most candidates away from the election commission's offices.
But yesterday was an auspicious day. Candidates competed to be the first to register and started campaigning on their way to the election commission's offices.
John Chang (章孝嚴), a former KMT secretary general and foreign minister who has been nominated as a legislative candidate for Taipei's southern district, tried to be the first to register in the constituency yesterday. He was beaten by Lin Ching-lung (林慶隆), a PFP nominee.
Apollo Chen (
In Chiayi, Weng Chung-chun (
Weng wished to express his respect to Taiwan's ethnic groups.
"I want to emphasize, by the way I show respect to Taiwan's indigenous people, that all races of people in Taiwan deserve respect," Weng said.
The Dec. 1 elections will be the first since last year's presidential race. The legislative elections will determine whether the ruling party can gain seats to help it to govern more effectively, while the city mayoral and county commissioner elections will reflect the ruling party's popularity at the local level.
Today is the final day for candidates to register. The commission must announce the official list of candidates on Nov. 20.
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