By Eryk Michael Smith/Staff – Photo shows a campaign calendar for the KMT’s Ko.
The Kuomintang (KMT) has formally nominated Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) to run again for Kaohsiung mayor in the 2026 election. Ko was widely expected to get the nod, and campaign posters featuring her have been visible in the city for quite some time.
Ko lost to Mayor Chen Chi-mai in 2022, but garnered just over 40% of the vote, leaving many to speculate she would be the KMT’s strongest choice for 2026. Below is the result of the 2022 Kaohsiung mayoral vote, via Wiki Commons.
| 1 | 鄭宇翔 | 無黨籍 | 8,394 | 0.64% | |
| 2 | 曾尹儷 | 無黨籍 | 14,585 | 1.11% | |
| 3 | 柯志恩 Ko Chih-en |  中國國民黨 | 529,607 | 40.16% | |
| 4 | 陳其邁 Chen Chi-mai |  民主進步黨 | 766,147 | 58.10% |
Ko has spent the past two years building local support by staying in Kaohsiung and preparing policy platforms, giving her a possible early organizational advantage.
On the “green” side, a competitive race continues as the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) remains divided by a four-way primary.
The DPP, facing strong pressure to retain the city, is expected to rely heavily on what some are calling the “Chen Chi-mai card,” banking on the incumbent mayor’s high approval ratings. Chen cannot run again, but his supporters argue his DPP successor would continue policies that brought in projects such as TSMC’s investment, and the concert-driven local economy.
While party insiders expect Chen to play a major campaign role, grassroots anxiety remains over delays in choosing a nominee and the risk that internal divisions could give the KMT an opening in what both sides see as a closely fought race.
Below:
- How the downtown areas of the city voted in 2022.
- How the entire city voted in 2022.
