The Democratic Progressive Party's Yilan County branch has referred nine members who registered as candidates in violation of party rules to its disciplinary committee — bad news for those involved, but a move to stem the bleeding when it comes to the party's organisational discipline.

• After registration for the 2026 local public office elections closed on September 4, the Yilan County party branch immediately began reviewing the list of members running in breach of party rules.
• The nine include Lo Shu-hui, a candidate for Wujie Township chief, and Hsieh Tsan-hui, a candidate for Dongshan Township chief, along with three candidates for county councillor and four candidates for township and city representative.
• County party branch chairman Chiu Chia-chin said the heaviest penalty could be expulsion from the party.
• The branch stressed that communication and coordination had taken place before the registration deadline, and that the cases are being reviewed separately under a consistent standard set by party regulations.

Outlook: The cases have been sent to the disciplinary committee, and attention now turns to how severe the penalties it hands down will be, and whether those penalised will press on with their campaigns regardless.