Changhua City's mayoral race has narrowed to a straight fight between the DPP and the KMT, a clean head-to-head that raises the stakes for both parties in Changhua's biggest city.

• Former county councilor Huang Yu-fen pulled out, leaving just two candidates instead of the expected three-way split.
• The DPP is running sitting county councilor Huang Po-yu, campaigning as a "young mayor" promising elevated rail, a metro system, and new urban development.
• The KMT is running Chen Wen-pin, head of the city representative council, who is leaning on 20 years of local experience and a "win Changhua back" message.
• Chen registered backed by a large bloc of village chiefs and city representatives; Huang registered flanked by the party's county magistrate candidate and a sitting legislator.
• The contest sets up as generational change versus entrenched grassroots organization.

Outlook: Expect the race to become a focal point of Changhua's year-end elections, with Chen's local machine tested against Huang's youth appeal.