Borough elections seen as important for parties

Taipei's borough chief posts are up for election tomorrow.

A total of 930 candidates are vying for 499 posts in 12 administrative districts around the city.

Compared with the 2002 election, the number of candidates has dropped by 32.73 percent, attributable to a new requirement that each hopeful pay a NT$50,000 deposit.

The deposit is not refunded to candidates who fail to garner 10 percent of votes cast.

Despite less candidates, the races have been heated, as both the pan-green camp led by the Democratic Progressive Party and pan-blue alliance led by the Chinese Nationalist Party want to fortify their support base, political analysts said.

The borough is the lowest-level political unit in the country.

Each borough has an office headed by a chief, who is elected by popular vote for a four-year term.

As the legislative elections next year will apply a new "single-member district, two vote" system for the first time, pan-green and pan-blue camps view the borough chief posts as integral to boosting their chances in the upcoming legislative races, analysts said.