Taipei:With Taiwan's local elections set for November 28, candidates for mayor and county magistrate are employing an array of campaign merchandise and giveaways to attract voters.
According to Focus Taiwan, the campaign team for Kuomintang (KMT) Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an, who is seeking reelection, has introduced fundraising items such as tote bags, baseball caps, insulated bags, water bottles, sports towels, T-shirts, cellphone lanyards, MagSafe leather phone wallets, and near-field communication (NFC) keychains. These items, explained by Lai Kuan-chun, the campaign's event planning chief, are practical goods aimed at everyday use, with NFC keychains designed to lead users to the campaign's theme song.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral contender Puma Shen has launched merchandise including T-shirts, baseball caps, tote bags, handkerchiefs, embroidered patches, towels, and plush toys featuring the campaign mascots. Tsai I-kai, a spokesperson for Shen's campaign, stated that the products are meant to be functional and embody the campaign slogan, "Future Soon."
In Changhua County, central Taiwan, DPP magistrate candidate Chen Su-yueh has prepared giveaways like tote bags, cellphone stands, and tissues. Liu Shan-ling, a spokesperson for Chen's campaign, noted that several DPP candidates for county council and township chief have also created items such as scouring sponges and wet wipes featuring their photos to support each other's campaigns and bolster the party's chances in gaining seats.
Wei Ping-cheng, the KMT candidate for Changhua County magistrate, has produced face masks, scouring sponges, tissues, wet wipes, bottled water, and UV arm sleeves through his family's factory. Wei highlighted that his tissue packets include a cartoon portrait designed by his daughter.
Independent candidate Chiu Chien-fu has prepared pens, placemats, face masks, handheld fans, and socks. Chiu emphasized that the socks symbolize his commitment to advancing together with his supporters. Another independent candidate, Chen Chung-chia, mentioned distributing face masks and encouraged voters to exercise their rights in shaping Changhua's future.
In Tainan, DPP mayoral candidate Chen Ting-fei is offering teddy bears inspired by local culture for sale, which she says represent her campaign message that "Tainan is home." Her KMT opponent, Hsieh Lung-chieh, has chosen to distribute handheld fans and tissue packets, which feature his policy pledges to inform voters of his plans for the city.