Registration for Taiwan's 2026 local elections closed today, with Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an confirming he will seek re-election and agreeing to a public debate — good news for voters hoping to see a head-to-head clash between the KMT and the DPP.

• Chiang Wan-an had a proxy file his registration papers and voluntarily ticked the debate option, raising the prospect of sharing a stage with the DPP's Puma Shen.
• Four candidates have now registered for the Taipei mayoral race, including the two major-party contenders and several candidates from smaller parties.
• In New Taipei, Hou Yu-ih accompanied Lee Si-chuan to register, effectively a public handover.
• Cracks have appeared in the KMT's efforts to unify behind a single candidate in Changhua, where County Magistrate Wang Huei-mei, unhappy with the nomination process, choked up in public as she criticised the party's central leadership for disregarding her views.
• The Taiwan People's Party's plans in Changhua are also in flux, with party chairman Huang Kuo-chang denying that it intends to field a separate candidate.

Outlook: The election goes to the polls on 28 November, and 13 of Taiwan's 22 city and county chiefs are term-limited and will hand over. The debate battle in Taipei and KMT-TPP coordination at the local level will be the key things to watch from here.