Taichung's city government is defending Mayor Lu Shiow-yen after she accompanied council candidates to register for election, saying she took formal leave each time — a minor flap, but one that puts a high-profile mayor's campaigning under a legal microscope.

• Lu joined candidates at election registration on two straight days, drawing criticism that she was campaigning on public time.
• The city produced paperwork showing she was on approved leave, with Deputy Mayor Huang Kuo-jung standing in for her.
• The defense came from Deputy Secretary-General Lin Ku-lung, a former reporter promoted by Lu and widely seen as her protégé.
• The city also pointed at Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che and Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai, who did the same thing on the same day.

Outlook: With local elections approaching, expect more fights over where the line sits between a mayor's official duties and party campaigning.