1954 Taiwanese local elections

none March 2026 1954 5 2 y1954 7 18 y 1954 Taiwanese local elections Taiwan legislative All 21 mayors/magistrates of cities, counties 1950–51 1950–51 Taiwanese local elections 1957 1957 Taiwanese local elections File:蔣中正總統玉照.png Chiang Kai-shek Kuomintang None Independent politician Mayors/Magistrates 19 2 Change 2 1 File:1954ROCCounty.svg #2fa8e1 Kuomintangblack Independentsb9b9b9 Not up for election (Yangmingshan, Chekiang, Fuchien) 68.85% 31.15% Local elections were held in Taiwan in 1954, the second nation-wide elections in the post-war era of Taiwan, electing all 21 mayors of cities and magistrates of counties. The election for the Provisional Taiwan Provincial Council was held alongside the local elections to elect 57 councillors. As the incumbent mayors/magistrates across the country were elected in eight different stages, resulting in various terms of office, the Government decided to extend the tenures of 19 mayors/magistrates for several months to end on 1 June 1954, except Miaoli and Taichung as the magistrates of both were elected in subsequent by-elections. The unified local elections for the nineteen administrative divisions were held on 2 May 1954, with the same three-year term of office. Miaoli and Taichung elections were held on 18 July 1954, with shorter tenures that would end on the same day as the other local leaders in 1957. Electoral system According to the amended "Election and Removal of Mayors and Magistrates of Taiwan Province Regulation" (臺灣省縣市長選舉罷免規程), the election abolished several requirements compared to the last: the two-round system was abandoned, while simple majority system was replaced by the first-past-the-post system. Thresholds requiring 50%-plus turnout and total votes cast (including invalid votes) were abolished. A candidate receiving the most votes shall be declared elected. If two candidates receive the same number of votes, lots will be drawn to determine the winner. Summary The Kuomintang won in a landslide, capturing 19 out of 21 divisions after flipping in Taichung City, Tainan City, and Hualien County. Incumbent Chiayi Magistrate was defeated by an independent, and Taipei Mayorship continued to be in the hand of the independents. The list below shows the statistics of party membership of candidates standing in the election. The coloured box refers to the party membership of the elected mayor or magistrate. +KMTCDSPYCPIndTaipei County1Taipei City11Keelung City1Yilan County12Taoyuan County11Hsinchu County11Taichung County1Taichung City1 1Changhua County12Nantou County1Yunlin County1Chiayi County 11Tainan County1 1Tainan City2 1Kaohsiung County1Kaohsiung City11Pingtung County1Hualien County? ??Penghu County11Miaoli County12Taitung County1 Detailed results Taipei Magistrate of Taipei 戴德發 Kuomintang 231035 9428 312589 續修臺北縣志·卷七·選舉志 Kuomintang nominated Lt. Gen. Wang Min-ning (王民寧), former head of Taiwan Province police service during the February 28 incident, as the candidate for the Taipei mayoral election. The opposition was represented by Henry Kao, who briefly lived in the United States after last election's defeat.黃 富三 台北市歷屆市長議長口述歷史 台北市政府文獻委員會 2001 American reporters in Taiwan, who had been in touch with Kao, also reported on his election campaign. After understanding Kao's secret engagement with the American Embassy, Kuomintang seniors were concerned about Kao.李 世傑 特務打選戰 敦理出版社 1989 The past of Wang in the 1940s was being dig up and harmed his popularity, including detaining a doctor criticising him for pushing in at hospital,杜 聰明 回憶錄（下） 龍文出版社 1998 Taipei 187 and his leading role during the suppression of February 28 uprising. Wang was also described as out of touch as he was not living in Taiwan for quite some time. According to party members of Kuomintang, Wang's campaign even tried bribing voters with food, who in turn destroyed Wang's election leaflets and then helped with Kao's canvassing.康 寧祥 台灣，打拼 康寧祥回憶錄 允晨出版 2014 Kao, on the other hand, pursued pro-grassroot campaigning and was praised for his humbleness. Amidst critical situation with Wang, Chiang Ching-kuo, son of President Chiang, met with heads of intelligence services to discuss further actions to help Wang. Taipei police then urged residents and shops to celebrate less for Kao but more for Wang, while Kuomintang agents groundless rumours over Kao as a CIA spy. This, however, bolstered his popularity as voters were angered by the oppressive governance and hoped Washington could pressure Taiwan Government to implement political reforms. After voting concluded, the radio withheld announcing the results, only revealing Kao had more votes.高 玉樹 1986 行憲感恩憶往 憲政思潮 76 159 William C. Chase, leader of the US Military Assistance Advisory Group in Taiwan, requested the United States Department of State to send a telegraph congratulating Kao's victory after discovering that vote counting stopped at night. Kao believed the telegraph forced Chiang Kai-shek to confirm the election result. Former American Ambassador Wellington Koo later revealed that Chiang and party leaders were "very shocked and disappointed" over the defeat,顧維鈞回憶錄 11 Beijing 中華書局 238 while Kao believed the authorities did not stuff the ballot box because he was not considered to be a serious challenger. Seniors of Kuomintang's party headquarter and local branch, including Chang Chi-yun, resigned citing the loss.林 忠勝 高玉樹回憶錄 前衛出版社 2007 9789578015395 Mayor of Taipei Henry Kao Independent 110415 Wang Min-ning Kuomintang 97613 6713 326801 臺北市志·卷三·政制志選舉篇 黃 振超 1987 252 Keelung Mayor of Keelung 謝貫一 Kuomintang 54728 7183 90268 基隆市志·卷三·政治志選舉篇 邱 智信 2001 31 Yilan Kan Ah-yen (甘阿炎) from the Kuomintang was elected. +Magistrate of YilanCandidatePartyVotes %甘阿炎 Kuomintang??藍文炳 Independent??林振炎 Independent??Total131,953100.00Valid votes131,953Invalid votes3,298Total votes111,675100.00Registered voters/turnout131,95384.63Source: Taoyuan +Magistrate of TaoyuanCandidatePartyVotes %徐崇德 Kuomintang??翁瑞鉅 Independent??Total133,352100.00Valid votes130,352Invalid votes3,000Total votes133,352100.00Registered voters/turnout172,86577.14Source:臺灣省地方自治誌要 臺灣省地方自治誌要編輯委員會 1966 Taichung 414 Hsinchu Chu Sheng-chi (朱盛淇) was re-elected, fending off challenge by local faction.Magistrate of Hsinchu Chu Sheng-chi Kuomintang 72040 張青雲 Independent 54860 9706 173617 新竹縣志續修（民國四十一年至八十年）·卷四·政事志 周 浩治 2008 543–544 Taichung Magistrate of Taichung 陳水潭 Kuomintang 133604 21237 225984Lin Chin-piao (林金標), who lost in last Taichung mayoral election, was nominated again by the Kuomintang, while Tangwai backed doctor Chang Shen-hsu (張深鑐) who long participated in anti-government protest movements. Lin's community work, along with the votes of sympathy over his last electoral defeat, were rewarded with a landslide victory, earning 67% of votes, while Chang was criticised to be too arrogant.林 良哲 何春木回憶錄 2004 前衛出版社 957-801-450-3 TaipeiMayor of Taichung Lin Chin-piao Kuomintang 51003 Chang Shen-hsu Independent 25204 2052 97647 臺灣省地方自治誌要 1966 Taichung 臺灣省地方自治誌要編輯委員會 415 Changhua Incumbent Changhua and former Changhua mayor Chen Hsi-ching (陳錫卿) was hugely supported by the public in the last election, as he was elected without heading to the run-off. But his popularity dropped as discontent in Changhua city grew over new policies that favoured rural rather than urban. As multiple party members expressed interest in running in the magisterial election, Kuomintang organised a primary before the election. Lin Bo-yu (林伯餘), a famous doctor in Changhua seen as a great challenger to Chen, however, was eventually forced to quit the primary after pressure from Chen. Yang Ting-kuo, another primary candidate, was defeated by Chen, paving way for securing the nomination.王 燈岸 王 鏡玲 磺溪壹老人 2018 玉山社 978-986-294-214-7 The dissatisfaction towards Chen over his tactics led to the endorsement of Shih Hsi-hsun, an activist during Japanese rule, by local politicians and local factions to run for Tangwai. With the support for Shih growing, local Kuomintang smeared Shih as an "illegal" candidate during unauthorisied canvassing. On the election day, rural villagers chiefs had allegedly voted on behalf of villagers, while election frauds were reported. The official result announced saw Chen re-elected with a reduced majority.Chen Hsi-ching Kuomintang 116805 Shih Hsi-hsun Independent 88903 謝報 Independent 21245 7852 333910 Magistrate of Changhua Nantou Magistrate of Nantou 李國楨 Kuomintang 113516 11388 148701 Yunlin Magistrate of Yunlin 吳景徽 Kuomintang 166233 20349 248241 Chiayi Incumbent magistrate Lin Chin-sheng (林金生) was again nominated by the Kuomintang, but was defeated by Li Mao-sung (李茂松) who broke away from the party and ran as an independent. +Magistrate of ChiayiCandidatePartyVotes %Lin Chin-sheng Kuomintang??Li Mao-sung Independent ??Total206,282100.00Valid votes206,282Invalid votes6,563Total votes212,845100.00Registered voters/turnout260,42781.73Source: Tainan Magistrate of Tainan 高文瑞 Kuomintang 129668 黃千里 Young China Party 95778 6063 298057 Mayor of Tainan 楊請 Kuomintang 47685 葉廷珪 Kuomintang 30191 邱鴻祥 Independent 4430 1838 117189 臺南市志·卷九·選舉志 王 振惠 游 醒民 1979 178–179 Kaohsiung Chen Hsin-an (陳新安) was supported by Tangwai local leader Yu Teng-fa, both defeated in last election, and by local faction, hence was elected unopposed.Magistrate of Kaohsiung Chen Hsin-an Kuomintang 3902 221971 152839For Kaohsiung City, incumbent mayor Hsieh Cheng-chiang (謝掙強) was re-elected, defeating challenges from other local factions.王 御風 近代台灣地方議會與領導階層之研究 2006 National Cheng Kung UniversityMayor of Kaohsiung Hsieh Cheng-chiang Kuomintang 70325 楊金虎 China Democratic Socialist Party 50118 4701 149493 重修高雄市志·卷二·民政志 高雄市政府 1990 162 Pingtung Magistrate of Pingtung 林石城 Kuomintang 114520 45815 233512 Hualien Kuomintang candidate Lin Mao-sheng (林茂盛) was elected in Hualien County, succeeding from Democratic Socialist magistrate. Penghu Incumbent magistrate Lee Yu-lin (李玉林) ran for second term, while some on the islands wished to have a local governing the county, instead of a waisheng (mainland Chinese migrant) military personnel. Hsu Cheng-ching (許整景), who was born in Penghu but relocated to Kaohsiung, was considered the potential challenger, and had reluctantly agreed to put his name forward. The original evaluation by the Kuomintang put the popularity of Lee at around 70%, Hsu at 30%. However, as Hsu started gaining support, the party reversed the prediction, while the military of Penghu decided obstructing Hsu's campaign. Commander of the islands first told Hsu that they were throwing their weight behind Lee, then soldiers stopped campaign team from canvassing citing "martial law", and warned some residents against voting Hsu or risk blocking the ports. In light of the gross interference by the military, Hsu abandoned his election plan and returned to Kaohsiung.Magistrate of Penghu Lee Yu-lin Kuomintang 23164 Hsu Cheng-ching Independent 8889 634 39222 Miaoli Liu Ting-kuo (劉定國) from the Kuomintang was elected. +Magistrate of MiaoliCandidatePartyVotes %Liu Ting-kuo Kuomintang??劉石郎 Independent??羅春桂 Independent??Total103,624100.00Valid votes103,624Invalid votes2,625Total votes106,249100.00Registered voters/turnout167,69063.37Source: Taitung Wu Chin-yu, Speaker of Taitung County Council, was nominated by the Kuomintang as the sole candidate of the election.Magistrate of Taitung 吳金玉 Kuomintang 55712 5248 67518 References 中華民國選舉概況 中央選舉委員會 1984 zh-tw 劉 寧顏 重修臺灣省通志 臺灣省文獻委員會 1993 卷八．職官志第一冊-文職表篇 Category:1954 elections in Asia Category:1954 in Taiwan Category:May 1954 in Asia Category:July 1954 in Asia Category:Elections in Taiwan