1994 Taiwanese local elections

1994 Taiwanese local elections

3 December 1994 (1994-12-03)
Provincial election
Turnout	76.15%
Candidate James Soong Chen Ding-nan Party Kuomintang DPP Popular vote 4,726,012 3,254,887 Percentage 56.22% 38.72%
Election result in township division   James Soong   Chen Ding-nan
Municipal election
2 mayors of special municipalities
Majority party Minority party   Leader Lee Teng-hui Shih Ming-teh Party Kuomintang DPP Mayors 1 1

Provincial and municipal elections were held in Taiwan on 3 December 1994, electing the Governor of Taiwan Province, and mayor of two special municipalities (Taipei and Kaohsiung).

This is the first election for all three posts,^[1] and the only one for the governorship of the later-streamlined Taiwan Province.

Kuomintang (KMT) was elected in Taiwan Province and Kaohsiung, while the opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) captured the capital city.

Since the retreat of Kuomintang's regime from mainland China to Taiwan, the head of the Taiwan Province was appointed by the central government due to martial law in place.

In 1994, the new Province and County Autonomy Act (Chinese: 省縣自治法) was enacted, the chairmanship of Taiwan Provincial Government was replaced by elected governorship of Taiwan Province.

James Soong of the KMT, then-chairman of Taiwan Provincial Government, was nominated to continue heading the province. The DPP endorsed Chen Ding-nan, member of Legislative Yuan and former Yilan Magistrate.

Soong was elected in a landslide, winning 56% of votes, while the party also secured a majority in the Provincial Council.

Taipei City was long seen as the stronghold of Kuomintang as many civil servants and Chinese migrants (or Waishengren) resided there.^[2] Between 1951 and 1967, Taipei, then a provincial city, had an elected mayor,^[3] and majority were Tangwai locals. After upgraded to a special municipality, Taipei has been headed by government-appointed indigenous mayors.^[4]

KMT chose then-mayor Huang Ta-chou for re-election, while the DPP held a party primary for nomination. After legislator Frank Hsieh lost the first round of the primary and subsequently withdrew, Chen Shui-bian was selected to challenge Huang.^[5] New Party nominated legislator Jaw Shaw-kong.

Due to vote splitting within the pan-blue coalition between Huang and Jaw, Chen was elected with nearly 44% of votes, ending KMT's 22-year rule in the capital. However, KMT was able to win a plurality in the city council.

Kaohsiung had long been ruled by the Kuomintang except for a few years. In this election, KMT's candidate Wu Den-yih, former Nantou Magistrate, won 54% of votes and was leading in all districts of Kaohsiung. The KMT also obtained a majority in the council, consolidating the rule.