Taiwan's ruling party is entering the final stretch before November local elections, and its leadership is trying to keep candidates calm and on message.

• Registration for Taiwan's 2026 local elections opened this week, with voting less than three months away.
• President Lai Ching-te, who also heads the DPP, told candidates and party officials not to read too much into shifting poll numbers.
• The message: respect each local campaign's own pace and avoid disrupting plans already set.
• Candidates were pushed to spend the time on face-to-face contact — markets, night markets, temple gatherings, street rallies.
• Party officials across the board were asked to close ranks and back every candidate.

Outlook: Expect a heavy ground campaign from the DPP over the next three months as it fights to hold local power.