The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) are both hoping to win a majority on the New Taipei City Council in the year-end local elections, according to statements from their local chapters.
Although neither party has yet nominated a mayoral candidate for the city, many hopefuls from the two parties have emerged or are on the verge of declaring their candidacy for the Nov. 24 poll.
The KMT’s New Taipei City chapter is scheduled today to swear in its new district organization heads and party advisers, but the event is expected to become the party’s first major rally of the year.
KMT Chairman Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu (朱立倫), Deputy New Taipei City Mayor Hou Yu-yi (侯友宜) and former Taipei County commissioner Chou Hsi-wei (周錫瑋) are scheduled to attend.
The KMT is to begin the nomination process for its city councilor candidates after the Lunar New Year holiday, KMT New Taipei City chapter head Lee Chien-lung (李乾龍) said.
The KMT is reportedly considering drafting the New Taipei City government’s spokespeople, Ye Yuan-zhi (葉元之) and Chiang Yi-chen (江怡臻), to run in the council election and it has also begun an aggressive drive to recruit younger candidates in Sindian (新店), Sinjhuang (新莊) and Rueifang (瑞芳) districts.
“The target is to field eight to 10 young candidates, although priority is still to yield to incumbents,” Lee said.
The DPP’s headquarters in Taipei has taken charge of planning for the New Taipei City elections, the DPP New Taipei City chapter said.
One of the party’s main considerations is finding new blood to replace former councilors who are now Cabinet members or legislators, the chapter said.
The DPP expects to field new faces in virtually every electoral district in the municipality, especially in the Fourth and Seventh electoral districts, it said.
Non-Partisan Solidarity Union councilors are expected to try holding on to their seats.
New Power Party spokesman Lee Chao-li (李兆立) said his party would announced its first nominees for the city council at the its anniversary banquet on Jan. 20.
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