Taiwanese voters test waters ahead of 2016 presidential poll
Taiwanese politicians shouted slogans through loudspeakers and swept streets with brooms as they made last-ditch appeals to voters ahead of elections on Saturday.
Taiwanese politicians shouted slogans through loudspeakers and swept streets with brooms as they made last-ditch appeals to voters ahead of elections tomorrow.
The polls - to decide a total of 11,130 seats in municipalities, counties, towns and villages - are being widely watched as an indicator of how voters will lean in the presidential election in 2016.
Observers say an impressive victory by either the Kuomintang or Democratic Progressive Party would sharply increase their chances in two years' time.
The KMT, which has been criticised over a series of perceived administrative shortcomings, including a tainted cooking oil scandal, is promising to fight for the economy, while the DPP is hoping to win over voters who want to "punish the KMT".
"With such a poor showing, should we allow the Ma [Ying-jeou] government or the KMT to continue to administer Taiwan?" said DPP chairwoman Dr Tsai Ing-wen as she campaigned for a DPP candidate in the central county of Changhua.
The KMT, which has controlled 15 of the 22 cities, counties and municipalities since the last local elections in 2010, has been fighting a tough battle since campaigning started last month.