Hsinchu Mayor Kao Hung-an survives recall vote despite facing serious corruption allegations and political controversies. On Saturday evening, she held a press conference to share the results. She thanked voters, saying their decision was a rejection of political infighting, not just support for her personally. The recall vote required at least 90,078 affirmative votes out of 360,311 eligible voters to remove her. Additionally, the “yes” votes needed to outnumber the “no” votes. However, the recall failed to meet this threshold. The Central Election Commission reported 83,075 votes in favor (40.98%) and 119,635 votes against (59.02%).
Although Kao Hung-an survives recall vote, she remains suspended from her mayoral duties due to a pending corruption case. The Taipei District Court sentenced her to seven years and four months in prison for misappropriating legislative assistant funds from her time as a legislator. She inflated salaries and overtime payments to divert funds for office expenses and personal use. Kao Hung-an survives recall vote but continues to appeal the verdict. She insists on her innocence and hopes for reinstatement if the conviction is overturned. After her conviction, she resigned from the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP). The Executive Yuan suspended her under the Local Government Act. Deputy Mayor Chiu Chen-yuan now acts as mayor.
Her political career has encountered repeated controversies. Besides corruption charges, she faces plagiarism accusations regarding her academic thesis and cronyism allegations. Critics highlight her appointment of a romantic partner as a senior aide. Moreover, her leadership has faced harsh criticism. During Kao’s term, major infrastructure projects, like the Hsinchu Baseball Stadium renovation and the new performing arts center, suffered delays and construction problems. Budget overruns raised additional concerns. She prioritized large commercial events such as a billion-dollar shopping festival. Many argue she neglected local businesses and essential city services.
Opponents accuse her of hypocrisy. Although she condemned her predecessor’s use of restricted tendering, she reportedly used the same procurement practices. Several key campaign promises remain unfulfilled, increasing voter disappointment. In summary, Kao Hung-an survives recall vote but faces a challenging political future amid ongoing legal battles and public criticism. The recall results reflect a divided electorate but also a clear rejection of the recall effort.
