2016 Kuomintang chairmanship by-election

The 2016 Kuomintang chairmanship by-election (Chinese: 2016年中國國民黨主席補選) was held on 26 March 2016 in Taiwan. This was the seventh direct election of the party leader in Kuomintang history. All registered, due-paying KMT party members were eligible to vote.

2016 Kuomintang chairmanship by-election

← 2015 26 March 2016 2017 →
Turnout41.61%
 
Nominee Hung Hsiu-chu Huang Min-hui
Popular vote 78,829 46,341
Percentage 56.16% 33.02%

 
Nominee Lee Hsin Apollo Chen
Popular vote 7,604 6,784
Percentage 5.42% 4.83%

  County level units won by Hung Hsiu-chu.
  County level units won by Huang Min-hui.

Chairman before election

Huang Min-hui (acting)

Elected Chairman

Hung Hsiu-chu

History

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The party leadership by-election was called after Kuomintang presidential candidate Eric Chu lost the 2016 election to Democratic Progressive Party candidate Tsai Ing-wen. Chu, who had been elected as KMT leader a year prior, subsequently resigned his post.[1] On 21 January, a day after Hung Hsiu-chu announced her candidacy, Hau Lung-pin declared his interest in the position.[2] Apollo Chen, Chung Hsiao-ping, and Lee Hsin also joined the race,[3][4] as did New Party chairman Yok Mu-ming, whom the KMT immediately declared ineligible.[5]

The registration period for the election began on 26 January. Lee Hsin became the first to complete the process.[6] Yok Mu-ming did not file his proposed candidacy, as he had been barred from doing so by the KMT the previous day.[5] Central Advisory Committee member Chou Kai-lun filed the required documentation, but did not pay the fee, nullifying his candidacy.[6] On 27 January, Apollo Chen, Chen Ming-yi, Hung Hsiu-chu, acting chair Huang Min-hui, and Lin Rong-te began registration.[7] Hau Lung-pin dropped out, and Chung Hsiao-ping [zh] was rejected because he had not yet served on the party's Central Committee.[8] On 29 January, Chen Ming-yi withdrew his candidacy.[9][10]

Election

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To be considered eligible for the election itself, all candidates must have collected the signatures of three percent of the Kuomintang membership, a cutoff of 9,600 in 2016, by 21 February.[11][12] Lin Rong-te dropped out of the election on 17 February, four days before the petition deadline.[13] The four remaining candidates submitted petitions and registered for the election on 22 February.[14] On 26 February, the party confirmed that every candidate had reached the signature threshold required to validate their candidacy.[15] The election was held on 26 March 2016.[16]

Results

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Hung Hsiu-chu won the election outright with 56.16% of the vote in the first round. Acting chair Huang Min-hui finished second at 33.02% while Taipei City councilor Lee Hsin and legislator Apollo Chen polled in the single digits with 5.42% and 4.83% of the vote, respectively.[17] With the electoral victory Hung became the first elected chairwoman of the party since its establishment.[18]

Turnout was 41.61% of 337,351 voters, the lowest turnout since the party began directly electing its leader in 2001.[19][17]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Hung Hsiu-chuKuomintang78,82956.48
Huang Min-huiKuomintang46,34133.21
Lee HsinKuomintang7,6045.45
Apollo ChenKuomintang6,7844.86
Total139,558100.00
Valid votes139,55899.43
Invalid/blank votes8000.57
Total votes140,358100.00
Registered voters/turnout337,35141.61

References

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  1. ^ Chen, Feng-li; Chin, Jonathan (21 January 2016). "KMT's Hung to run for chairpersonship". Taipei Times. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  2. ^ Hsu, Stacy (22 January 2016). "Hau Lung-bin in bid for new KMT chairmanship". Taipei Times. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  3. ^ Hsu, Stacy (26 January 2016). "Hung shrugs off reports of KMT members quitting". Taipei Times. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  4. ^ Hsu, Stacy (23 January 2016). "KMT youth to hear leadership hopefuls". Taipei Times. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  5. ^ a b Hsu, Stacy (26 January 2016). "New Party's Yok not eligible for KMT chairman race". Taipei Times. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  6. ^ a b Hsu, Stacy (27 January 2016). "Yok says offer to chair KMT was a bid for unity". Taipei Times. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  7. ^ Liu, Claudia; Kuo, Chung-han (27 January 2016). "KMT acting chairperson to bid for party leadership (update)". Central News Agency. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  8. ^ Hsiao, Alison (28 January 2016). "Acting chairperson in KMT race". Taipei Times. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
  9. ^ Hsiao, Alison (30 January 2016). "KMT name change not needed: acting chair Huang". Taipei Times. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  10. ^ Hsiao, Alison (31 January 2016). "Hung Hsiu-chu tours legislature for the last time". Taipei Times. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  11. ^ "KMT acting chairperson to bid for leadership". China Post. Central News Agency. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  12. ^ Hsu, Stacy (5 February 2016). "KMT chair vows reform amid criticism of review". Taipei Times. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  13. ^ Hsu, Stacy (18 February 2016). "KMT's chairperson vote unfair: Lee Hsin". Taipei Times. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  14. ^ Liu, Claudia; Hsu, Elizabeth (22 February 2016). "4 candidates register to run for KMT chairmanship". Central News Agency. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  15. ^ Hsieh, Chia-chen; Low, Y.F. (26 February 2016). "Four qualified to run for KMT chairmanship". Central News Agency. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  16. ^ Liu, Claudia; Liu, Kay (20 January 2016). "KMT to hold chairperson by-election March 26". Central News Agency. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  17. ^ a b Liu, Claudia; Lu, Hsin-hui; Wu, Lilian (26 March 2016). "Victorious Hung Hsiu-chu vows to work for KMT's rebirth". Retrieved 26 March 2016.
  18. ^ Liu, Claudia; Hou, Elaine (26 March 2016). "Hung Hsiu-chu elected Kuomintang's first female leader". Retrieved 29 August 2016.
  19. ^ Hsiao, Alison (27 March 2016). "Hung elected KMT's first chairwoman". Taipei Times. Retrieved 27 March 2016.