The Legislative Elections take place on January 12 and the outcome is expected to provide a good indication of which way the presidential race could go during the Presidential Elections on March 22.
The race is tight as it will be the first election since a law was passed in 2004 that cuts the legislature seen as inefficient and rowdy, from 225 to 113 members, and extended their term from three to four years.
Of the 113 seats, 73 are for individual constituencies, 34 will be allotted on a party list system, and six are counted as aboriginal seats. Parties must win at least five per cent of the vote to get seats.
At polling stations on Jan 12, voters will collect four ballot papers. The first is for the choice of Member of Parliament, the second is for the selection of a political party, and on the remaining two, governs referendum issues.
The referendum
The first referendum issue was proposed by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) – it wants the main opposition Kuomintang (KMT) to give up party assets amounting to more than US$800 million.
The DPP claims these funds were corruptly obtained during the KMT's 40-year rule of the island.
The second referendum issue was proposed by the KMT. It calls for tougher anti-corruption measures, taking a dig at the ruling party which has been embroiled in a series of scandals.
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