Taiwan's 2026 local election race in Tainan is now formally set, with the ruling DPP and opposition KMT both fielding well-known candidates in a traditionally green-leaning city.

• DPP lawmaker Chen Ting-fei registered her run for Tainan mayor, backed by the sitting mayor and the party's city council candidates.
• She is pitching herself as the first woman to lead Tainan in the city's 400-year history, promising a more hands-on city government.
• KMT rival Hsieh Lung-chieh skipped the fanfare and reported for the new legislative session instead, saying his lawmaker duties come first.
• Hsieh is running on a 30-item platform covering childbirth and childcare, transport, flood control, urban renewal, education, farming and fishing, clean government, and elderly care.
• The new legislative session will review the central government's 2027 budget, keeping Hsieh in the national spotlight while he campaigns.

Outlook: Expect both camps to ramp up campaigning into the 2026 local elections, with Tainan shaping up as a closely watched test of DPP dominance in the south.