1950–51 Taiwanese local elections
22 October 1950 (1950-10-22) – 29 July 1951 (1951-07-29)
All 21 mayors/magistrates of cities, counties
Turnout79.6%
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Chiang Kai-shek Hsu Fu-lin
Party Kuomintang Democratic Socialist
Mayors/
Magistrates		 17 1
  Kuomintang
  China Democratic Socialist Party
  Independents
  Not up for election (Yangmingshan)

Local elections were held in Taiwan in 1950 and 1951, months after Chiang Kai-shek resumed duties as President of the Republic of China following the civil war defeat, marking the start of local autonomy in the post-war era.

The elections were also considered to be legitimising the Kuomintang's rule on the island, while attempting to strive for more support from the United States. They also provided the foundation for opposition Tangwai movement as non-KMT members tried to revolt against authoritarian rule through elections, and bred local powers and fractions that would impact the future elections.[1] Some of the defeated contenders in these elections would eventually be elected or become leaders of the Tangwai movement.[2]

Background

Newspaper on 6 March 1947 announcing "mayoral, magisterial elections set for 1 July"

Taiwan's electoral history could trace back to Japanese rule in 1935, but the suffrage by then was limited.[3] In 1947, anti-government uprisings erupted, with protestors calling for political reform. Despite promising the implementation of reforms including local elections, Chen Yi, Chief Executive of Taiwan Province, secretly asked for reinforcement from mainland China to suppress the uprisings.

After the defeat in the Chinese Civil War, Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang government retreated to Taiwan in 1949. On 1 March 1950, Chiang declared the resumption of duties as the President of the Republic of China. The Government then announced in April plans for local elections, electing all 21 mayors of cities and magistrates of counties with a three-year term of office. City and County Council elections were organised also.

Chairmanship of the Taiwan Provincial Government and the councillorship of the Taiwan Provincial Consultative Council were both not open for direct election due to ongoing martial law, instead appointed or indirectly elected.[4]

Electoral system

According to "Election and Removal of Mayors and Magistrates of Taiwan Province Regulation" (Chinese: 臺灣省縣市長選舉罷免規程) promulgated in 1950, the election adopted the two-round, simple majority voting system.

A candidate shall be duly elected when the turnout is over 50% and received 50% of total votes cast (including invalid votes). If no candidates were elected, a runoff will be held within the next 20 days between the two leading candidates, with the one winning the most votes declared winner. If the two candidates received the same number of votes, lots will be drawn to determine the winner.

Election timetable

The local elections were divided into eight stages:[5]

Stage Election period Cities/Counties
First 12 August 1950 – 22 October 1950 Hualien County
Taitung County
Second 20 October 1950 – 7 January 1951 Taichung City
Tainan City
Keelung City
Penghu County
20 October 1950 – 14 January 1951 Taipei City
Third 22 January 1951 – 25 March 1951 Kaohsiung City
22 January 1951 – 1 April 1951 Pingtung County
Kaohsiung County
Fourth 28 January 1951 – 1 April 1951 Hsinchu County
28 January 1951 – 8 April 1951 Taipei County
Taoyuan County
Fifth 3 February 1951 – 8 April 1951 Changhua County
3 February 1951 – 22 April 1951 Yilan County
Sixth 10 February 1951 – 15 April 1951 Tainan County
Yunlin County
10 February 1951 – 22 April 1951 Chiayi County
Seventh 5 March 1951 – 13 May 1951 Taichung County
Nantou County
Eighth 5 May 1950 – 29 July 1951 Miaoli County

Summary

With a high turnout of 79.6%,[6] KMT-backed candidates were elected in 17 out of 21 cities/counties, CDSP took one and the remaining were captured by independents.

The list below shows the statistics of party membership of candidates standing in the election. Coloured box refers to the party membership of elected mayor or magistrate.

KMT CDSP Young Ind
Hualien County 5 1
Taitung County 5 2
Taichung City 3 2
Tainan City 5 1
Keelung City 3 2
Penghu County 3 1
Taipei City 9 1 4
Pingtung County 3 1
Kaohsiung County 2 2
Kaohsiung City 3 1
Taipei County 4 2
Taoyuan County 5 2
Hsinchu County 3 4
Changhua County 4 1
Yilan County 3 1
Tainan County 3
Yunlin County 2
Chiayi County 8 1
Taichung County 3 2
Nantou County 4 1 1
Miaoli County 2

Detailed results

First stage

Magistrate of Hualien
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Democratic Socialist 楊仲鯨 22,687 30.83 35,444 53.02
Kuomintang 林茂盛 22,663 30.80 31,408 46.98
Independent 周坤祺 7,945 10.80
Independent 李群山 7,068 9.61
Independent 謝琳淼 6,745 9.17
Independent 陳阿民 6,475 8.80
Magistrate of Taitung
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Kuomintang 陳振宗 10,796 23.54 ? ?
Kuomintang 黃式鴻 11,784 25.70 ? ?
Independent 周伸興 7,512 16.38
Independent 鐘生鑑 7,102 15.49
Independent 黃忠 6,292 13.72
Independent 林作梅 1,601 3.49
Independent 張慶萱 770 1.68

Second stage

In Taichung mayoral election, lawyer Yang Chi-hsien (楊基先), with opposition background, defeated Kuomintang candidate Lin Chin-piao (林金標). Kuomintang members were reportedly forced to canvass for Lin and collect name and address of at least fifty voters, which angered some of the residents.[7] According to KMT senior Chen Kuo-fu, Yang's well connection with the grassroot community contributed to his victory.[8] The discontent with the ruling KMT following February 28 incident, along with his narrow-mindedness, also damaged Lin's popularity.[9][10]

Despite winning a plurality in the first round, Yang was forced to a second round as more than 8,000 invalid votes were cast.[11]

Mayor of Taichung
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Independent Yang Chi-hsien 34,441 51.27 38,406 55.64
Kuomintang Lin Chin-piao 24,828 36.96 30,614 44.36
Independent 廖朝舟 7,901 11.76
Tainan City Council chose three candidates for acting mayor on 9 March, upon appointment by the government, for pre-election transition
Mayor of Tainan
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Independent 葉廷珪 16,648 26.51 46,156 67.29
Kuomintang 黃百祿 16,926 26.95 22,435 32.71
Kuomintang 吳國信 13,321 21.21
Kuomintang 邱鴻恩 9,816 15.63
Kuomintang 劉子祥 6,088 9.69
Mayor of Keelung
Party Candidate Votes %
Kuomintang 謝貫一 34,905 57.48
Independent 陳炳煌 17,656 29.07
Independent 林番王 8,167 13.45
Magistrate of Penghu
Party Candidate Votes %
Kuomintang 李玉林 21,395 77.90
Independent 歐老萊 6,070 22.10
Wu San-lien (second left) celebrated with voters after elected

The Taipei mayoral election of the capital was one of the most competitive in the local elections, with six independent candidates and one KMT-supported.

In the memoir of Henry Kao, later Mayor of Taipei, then-chairman of Taiwan Provincial Government K. C. Wu convinced incumbent mayor Wu San-lien (吳三連) to run for re-election and fully supported him after considering multiple non-KMT candidates were elected, making him the first government official that supported opposition candidate.[12] In protest against the decision, Lin Tzu-kuei (林紫貴), KMT delegate of the National Assembly, ran in the election,[13] while China Democratic Socialist Party, to which Wu San-lien was affiliated despite running as an independent, endorsed Henry Kao instead of Wu.[14]

KMT later urged Lin to withdraw from the competition. Lin in return demanded to be promoted as deputy minister or to compensate his election expenses, but were both rejected. Just a week before election, Lin was detained and jailed by secret police,[14] allegedly harbouring communists.[13]

Kao, who was nominated by others, decided not to campaign as he believed Wu was much respected and popular.[12] As a result, Wu won in a landslide, garnering nearly 66% of votes. Soon after the poll concluded, Lin was released from jail.[13]

Mayor of Taipei
CandidatePartyVotes%
Wu San-lienIndependent92,06165.61
Henry KaoIndependent28,07520.01
莊琮耀Independent12,3488.80
郭伯儀Independent3,9012.78
Lin Tzu-kueiKuomintang2,2231.58
鄭來春Independent9840.70
蘇金塗Independent7260.52
Total140,318100.00
Valid votes140,31897.89
Invalid/blank votes3,0262.11
Total votes143,344100.00
Registered voters/turnout257,84955.59
Source: [15]

Third stage

Magistrate of Pingtung
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Kuomintang 張山鐘 66,061 49.51 93,393 60.23
Independent 孔德興 25,882 19.40 61,656 39.77
Independent 林嘯鯤 22,366 16.76
Independent 陳朝景 11,599 8.69
Independent 洪石柱 6,422 4.81
Independent 杜德三 1,110 0.83
Magistrate of Kaohsiung
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Kuomintang 洪榮華 54,399 35.59 90,803 50.84
Independent 陳新安 68,796 45.01 87,791 49.16
Independent 余登發 28,139 18.41
Kuomintang 吳崇雄 1,503 0.98
Mayor of Kaohsiung
Party Candidate Votes %
Kuomintang 謝掙強 49,223 51.84
Independent 李源棧 41,984 44.22
Kuomintang 林斌 3,738 3.94

Fourth stage

Magistrate of Taipei
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Kuomintang 梅達夫 85,109 46.17 173,389 79.20
Kuomintang 廖富本 93,697 50.83 45,541 20.80
Independent 林兩端 3,533 1.92
Independent 林燕清 1,994 1.08
Magistrate of Taoyuan
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Kuomintang 徐崇德 40,878 35.26 ? ?
Kuomintang 徐言 46,199 39.84 ? ?
Independent 陳阿頭 15,151 13.07
Independent 黃宗寬 6,450 5.56
Independent 魏肇潤 3,663 3.16
Independent 黃又安 3,608 3.11
Magistrate of Hsinchu
Party Candidate Votes %
Kuomintang 朱盛淇 76,854 72.01
Kuomintang 古侃 22,447 21.03
Independent 王繼呂 6,731 6.31
Independent 解慶文 698 0.65

Fifth stage

During election, Chen Hsi-ching (陳錫卿), then mayor of Changhua, told the less-educated farmers that posting his election leaflet could "prevent swine fever". Chen eventually achieved a simple majority in the election without a second round.

Magistrate of Changhua
Party Candidate Votes %
Kuomintang Chen Hsi-ching 153,875 62.93
Kuomintang 陳萬福 50,631 20.70
Kuomintang 于國楨 35,709 14.60
Independent 黃漢樹 4,321 1.77

In Yilan County, a second round of election was arranged due to a total of 4,239 invalid votes in the first round, which blocked the election of independent Chen Wang-chuan (陳旺全). Following a widespread campaign by the KMT, the party-backed candidate Lu Tsuan-hsiang (盧纘祥) was elected in the second round despite losing the first.

Magistrate of Yilan
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Kuomintang Lu Tsuan-hsiang 45,119 48.29 ? ?
Independent Chen Wang-chuan 48,324 51.71 ? ?

Sixth stage

Magistrate of Tainan
Party Candidate Votes %
Kuomintang 高文瑞 106,631 51.09
Kuomintang 蔡愛仁 52,742 25.27
Kuomintang 高錦德 49,323 23.63
Magistrate of Yunlin
Party Candidate Votes %
Kuomintang 吳景徽 103,753 54.85
Kuomintang 廖昆金 85,408 45.15

Hsu Shih-shien (許世賢) is the first female candidate of magisterial elections in the country, but would only be elected seventeen years later in 1968.[16]

Magistrate of Chiayi
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Kuomintang 林金生 71,569 41.10 101,482 52.04
Independent 李茂松 80,491 46.22 93,541 47.96
Kuomintang 許世賢 22,078 12.68

Seventh stage

Originally registered as independent, Lin He-nien (林鶴年) joined the Kuomintang before second round of voting.

Magistrate of Chiayi
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Kuomintang Lin He-nien 58,330 32.30 88,055 52.11
Kuomintang 陳水潭 72,735 40.28 80,921 47.89
Independent 蔡卯生 40,716 22.55
Independent 陳振順 7,532 4.17
Independent 呂大樁 1,277 0.71
Magistrate of Nantou
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Kuomintang 李國楨 59,047 50.61 75,063 64.01
Democratic Socialist 廖啟川 24,135 20.69 42,207 35.99
Youth 陳如商 20,223 17.33
Kuomintang 洪金園 13,257 11.36

Eighth stage

A second round was held due to a total of 3,364 invalid votes, blocking Liu Ting-kuo (劉定國) the leading candidate in the first round to receive 50% of the total votes.

Magistrate of Miaoli
Party Candidate First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Kuomintang Liu Ting-kuo 55,002 49.71 63,627 51.13
Kuomintang Huang Yun-chin 55,647 50.29 60,814 48.87

The election result was annulled by court as Liu was serving in the military and thus unqualified as a candidate, therefore triggering a by-election in July 1951.

References

  • 中華民國選舉概況 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 中央選舉委員會. 1984.
  1. ↑ 蔡, 秀玲 (2007). "台灣首屆縣市長選舉之研究（1950〜1951）". National Tsinghua University (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 2014-11-04.
  2. ↑ "余登發與戰後臺灣民主運動". National Taiwan Normal University. 2011. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  3. ↑ 彭, 瑞金 (2004-10-25). "戰後台灣地方自治實施初階段，原生民主勢力的勃興" (PDF) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taiwan Provincial Consultative Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-11-04. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. ↑ 楊, 肇嘉 (1970). 楊肇嘉回憶錄 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taipei: 三民書局. p. 348.
  5. ↑ 台灣省首屆民選縣市長暨縣市議員特輯. 台灣新文化服務社. 1952.
  6. ↑ 楊, 肇嘉 (1951). 臺灣省實施地方自治紀要 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taipei: 臺灣省民政廳.
  7. ↑ 林, 叔欽 (ed.). 林金標回憶錄 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). p. 36.
  8. ↑ "陳果夫呈蔣中正臺中市競選市長情形及其觀感". Taiwan Culture Memory Bank (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1950-12-29. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  9. ↑ 林, 良哲 (2004). 何春木回憶錄 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taipei: 前衛出版社. ISBN 957-801-450-3.
  10. ↑ "陳果夫函蔣中正鑑於本黨在臺中參選失敗之個人所聞及年來對黨務感想". Taiwan Cultural Memory Bank (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 1950-12-25. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  11. ↑ "巫永福回憶錄--我的風霜歲月". Taiwanus.net. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
  12. 1 2 黃, 富三 (2001). 台北市歷屆市長議長口述歷史 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 台北市政府文獻委員會.
  13. 1 2 3 李, 世傑 (1989). 特務打選戰 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 敦理出版社.
  14. 1 2 "【被遺忘的歷史】選舉奧步（二）：特務、司法介入選舉". 想想論壇. 2019-12-30. Archived from the original on 2021-09-24. Retrieved 2021-09-25.
  15. ↑ 黃, 振超 (1987). 臺北市志·卷三·政制志選舉篇. p. 249.
  16. ↑ "戰後臺灣女性參政之先驅：許世賢 (1908-1983) 的政治生涯". National Taiwan Normal University (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 2003. Retrieved 2023-04-09.
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