Taiwan's 2026 local elections formally opened for candidate registration, and Miaoli County saw a busy first day — neutral news, but a signal that the campaign season is now underway.

• 113 people signed up on day one in Miaoli, mostly village and borough chiefs.
• County councillor, township mayor and township representative races drew smaller numbers.
• Nobody registered for the county magistrate race yet, though both main candidates have set their dates.
• The KMT's incumbent Chung Tung-chin is expected to file for re-election in early September; the DPP's Chen Pin-an will file a day earlier.
• In one district, three veteran councillors from Houlong registered together, one of them chasing an 11th consecutive term.

Outlook: Registration continues over the coming days, with the headline magistrate contest between the KMT and DPP taking shape in early September.