Taiwan's local election registration has closed, setting up a crowded seven-way fight for Kinmen county magistrate that leaves the KMT's candidate facing six independents.

• Registration for Taiwan's nine-in-one local elections ended, with voting set for late November.
• Seven people signed up for Kinmen magistrate: KMT candidate Chen Yu-chen and six independents.
• The heavy independent field could split the anti-KMT vote and help Chen, or fracture the island's politics further.
• One contender, Hong Kong-born academic Leung Man-to, says his decade-plus of household registration in Taiwan clears him to run.
• County council races drew a large field too, with 20 registrations in Kinmen's first district alone.

Outlook: The campaign now runs through late November, with Leung's eligibility the most likely near-term flashpoint.