Candidates woo voters with swag ahead of local elections

Taipei, Oct. 18 (CNA) With Taiwan's local elections scheduled for Nov. 28, candidates for mayor and county magistrate are rolling out campaign merchandise and giveaways to win over voters.

The campaign team of Kuomintang (KMT) Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安), who is seeking reelection, has introduced a range of fundraising merchandise, including tote bags, baseball caps, insulated bags, water bottles, sports towels, T-shirts, cellphone lanyards, MagSafe leather phone wallets and near-field communication (NFC) keychains.

Lai Kuan-chun (賴冠群), the campaign's event planning chief, told CNA the items were chosen because they are practical, everyday goods that people would want to carry. The NFC keychains are designed to broadcast a signal to compatible cellphones, directing users to the campaign's theme song, he added.

Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Taipei mayoral challenger Puma Shen (沈伯洋) has launched T-shirts, baseball caps, tote bags, handkerchiefs, embroidered patches, towels and plush toys featuring the campaign's mascots.

Tsai I-kai (蔡一愷), a spokesperson for Shen's campaign, said the items were designed to be practical and reflect the campaign slogan, "Future Soon."

Tsai also thanked supporters who call themselves "Ocean Current" (洋流) -- a play on Shen's Chinese name -- for producing their own campaign items, including posters, stickers, badges, banners and ribbons bearing the group's name. He said he hoped the initiative would spark further creativity and give supporters more ways to express their aspirations for Taipei.

In Changhua County in central Taiwan, DPP magistrate candidate Chen Su-yueh (陳素月) has prepared handouts such as tote bags, cellphone stands and tissues.

Liu Shan-ling (劉珊伶), a spokesperson for Chen's campaign, said several DPP candidates for county council and township chief had also produced items such as scouring sponges and wet wipes printed with photos of themselves alongside Chen.

The candidates hope to boost one another's campaigns and help the party win as many county council and township chief seats as possible, Liu said.

KMT Changhua County magistrate candidate Wei Ping-cheng (魏平政) said his campaign had prepared face masks, scouring sponges, tissues, wet wipes, bottled water and UV arm sleeves made at his family's factory.

The tissue packets feature a cartoon portrait of Wei designed by his daughter, he said.

Independent Changhua County magistrate candidate Chiu Chien-fu (邱建富) has prepared pens, placemats, face masks, handheld fans and socks to hand out.

Chiu said he often walks long distances while campaigning, and the socks symbolize his determination to go farther and move forward together with his supporters.

Another independent Changhua County magistrate hopeful, Chen Chung-chia (陳重嘉), told CNA by phone that he had prepared handouts including face masks. He said everyone has an equal right to participate in politics and urged voters to use their ballots to decide Changhua's future.

In the southern Taiwan city of Tainan, DPP mayoral candidate Chen Ting-fei (陳亭妃) has put up for sale a series of teddy bears inspired by daily life and local culture.

Chen said supporters could collect the bears that suit their tastes and keep them as keepsakes. The bears also convey her campaign message that "Tainan is home" and that she would care for and cherish her home, she added.

Her KMT rival, Hsieh Lung-chieh (謝龍介), has opted for handheld fans and tissue packets.

Fans help people keep cool in Tainan's hot weather, while tissues can be used to wipe away sweat or at mealtimes, Hsieh said. His major policy pledges are also printed on the items to help voters understand his plans for the city, he added.