Taiwan's year-end local elections open for candidate registration on August 31, and two Kaohsiung council districts look set to have no real contest — good for the sitting members, thin choice for voters.

• Registration runs August 31 to September 4 for Kaohsiung's mayor, city council, borough chiefs, and indigenous district posts.
• In District 2 (Luzhu, Alian, Tianliao, Hunei, Qieding) and District 6 (Gushan, Yancheng, Cijin), no clear challengers have stepped forward, so the seats may go uncontested.
• District 2 incumbent Chen Ming-tse is handing his seat to his daughter, keeping the family in the race.
• District 6's Li Chiao-ju, the council's longest-serving member, is going for a ninth term.
• Council seats total 65 across 15 districts, with Qianzhen-Xiaogang losing a seat and Sanmin gaining one on population shifts.

Outlook: The mayoral race stays the main event, with the DPP's Lai Jui-lung registering September 2 and the KMT's Ko Chih-en on September 3, both promising high-profile backers at their sign-ups.