Local elections have officially got under way in Taiwan's Nantou County, where Kuomintang (KMT) Magistrate Hsu Shu-hua is seeking a second term, with conditions favouring the incumbent.

• Hsu completed her registration accompanied by the party's candidates for all 13 township and city mayoralties, setting a target of a "13+1 grand slam" across the county.
• More than 300 supporters turned out for the campaign event, with KMT legislators and senior party officials appearing alongside her.
• Hsu is campaigning on her record: paying off NT$9.1 billion in county government debt during her term, subsidising national health insurance premiums for residents aged 65 and over, increasing the budget for free school lunches, and developing multiple transport hubs.
• DPP candidate Wen Shih-cheng, meanwhile, travelled to Caotun, Zhushan and Mingjian to accompany fellow party candidates registering their bids, campaigning under the slogan "A new generation shoulders a new era."

• The central government is in DPP hands, giving the party control of administrative resources, but Hsu said she was not concerned, stressing that unity would bring victory.

Outlook: Registration closes on September 4 and the election will be held on November 28, setting up a full contest between the blue and green camps across Nantou's 13 townships over the next two months and more.