Registration for Taiwan's year-end local elections has officially opened, and the KMT's handover of the New Taipei mayoralty is now settled — good news for the party's electoral planning.

• Hou Yu-ih publicly named Lee Si-chuan as his successor, and Lee expressed his thanks on Facebook, confirming a consensus on the handover.
• Hou Yu-ih is expected to serve as director of Lee Si-chuan's campaign headquarters, with personnel appointments to be announced collectively by Lee in line with the campaign timetable.
• Veteran Taoyuan councillor Chan Chiang-tsun has given up his party's endorsement and registered as an independent, exposing cracks in the KMT's local nominations.
• In the Changhua County magistrate race, independent councillor Chen Chung-chia was the first to complete registration, and rumours of local vote-buying and underground gambling have resurfaced.
• Facing controversy over a case in which a 10-year-old girl subjected to sexual abuse went 240 days without placement after the case was reported, Chiang Wan-an announced four additional child protection measures for Taipei City.

Outlook: with less than 90 days until polling day, the parties' nomination maps and the impact of candidates running outside their parties will become clear once registration closes.