TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taichung City Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) and Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Li-shan (張麗善), both representing the Kuomintang (KMT), won re-election in the Nov. 26 local elections.

Both Lu and Chang held strong leads in polls before the elections, and ultimately defeated both of their respective challengers — current deputy speaker of the legislature Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) and Yunlin Legislator Liu Chien-kuo (劉建國), both of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Lu served as a news reporter and anchor for over ten years after graduating from a top local university. She started her political career after marrying a former Taichung city councilor, who came from a family with a long history in local politics. Lu served two four-year legislative terms before being elected as the mayor of Taichung in 2018.

Incumbent Yunlin County Commissioner Chang Li-shan. (CNA photo)

Chang came from a strong local political family built up by former Yunlin County Magistrate Chang Rong-wei (張榮味), her elder brother. Chang Rong-wei reportedly has ties to the local mafia and was sentenced to serve an eight-year jail term in 2018 over corruption charges relating to his term of office as Yunlin County Magistrate. He was released on parole in May, 2021.

Chang Li-shan served a four-year legislative term as an independent from 2004 to 2008 and in the following years lost two elections for the top post in the local government. She said she would focus on promoting the rights of people with disabilities, new immigrant communities, and underprivileged women during campaigning.