Taiwan's local election season formally opened in Taichung, with candidates competing to be first in line — a neutral but telling sign of how tight the race is expected to be.

• Registration for Taichung's mayoral and city council races opened at a community center in Fongle Park, the first day of the nationwide local elections.
• Taiwan People's Party councilor Chiang Ho-shu arrived at 5am with his wife and grandson to claim the first spot.
• Chiang is 45 and his grandson is 7, a detail that drew wide attention online.
• Independent candidate Yang Pao-chen registered around 8am, saying she was first in the southeast district and using the early filing to answer doubts about whether she would actually run.
• Candidates from the DPP and KMT also showed up before 8am hoping to register first.

Outlook: Registration continues across Taiwan in the coming days, with the full slate of candidates set before campaigning ramps up.