Ko has won a passionate support base, especially among young voters, for focusing on bread-and-butter issues like the high cost of housing. He also wants to re-engage China, but insists that cannot come at the expense of protecting Taiwan’s democracy and way of life.
Tainan farmer Liu Ruen-shui, 70, plans to vote for the KMT.
“This is the most important (election) so far,” Liu said. “Because if there’s no change, things will just get worse and worse to the point of no return.”
No matter who wins, China looms in the background.
Taiwan’s government believes China is likely to attempt to put pressure on its incoming president after the island votes, including staging military manoeuvres near the island this spring, two senior government officials said.
Polls open at 8am and close at 4pm, with ballot counting by hand starting almost at once. There is no electronic, absentee, proxy or early voting.
The result should be clear by late evening on Saturday when the losers concede and the winner gives a victory speech.
Tsai is constitutionally barred from standing again after two terms in office.