Taiwan's year-end city and county mayor races formally open for candidate registration, and the ruling DPP is switching its line of attack — bad news for the KMT's two highest-profile mayors.

• Registration for the year-end mayoral elections opens now, kicking off the campaign proper.
• The DPP spent the last phase attacking eight KMT lawmakers running for mayor over budget cuts and legislative chaos.
• The next phase targets how Taipei mayor Chiang Wan-an and Taichung mayor Lu Shiu-yen actually run their cities — rubbish, transport, and basic services.
• A budget cut that hit sheltered workshops for disabled workers backfired badly, with even the KMT chair now distancing herself from it.
• A failed KMT–TPP alliance deal in Hsinchu County is being used as proof the opposition cannot keep its word.

Outlook: The DPP is betting on a strong showing from its northern Taiwan pairing of Puma Shen and Su Chiao-hui, with the campaign season now fully underway.