The election of the president and vice president of Taiwan () is a universal direct election through secret vote by the citizens of Taiwan (ROC) in the Free Area. ROC presidents are elected by relative majority (plurality), meaning the candidate with the most votes wins without a runoff requirement. The most recent election took place on January 13, 2024.
The Presidential and Vice Presidential Election and Recall Act states that a candidate for president or vice president must be a citizen of the Republic of China, at least 40 years old, and a resident of Taiwan for a period of no less than 15 years with a physical presence of no less than 6 consecutive months. The following persons shall not be registered as candidates for the president: Military personnel Election officials People who hold foreign nationality or who hold residency of the People's Republic of China People who have restored their nationality or acquired their nationality by naturalization The president and vice president are nominated on a joint ticket. Political parties which have gained at least 5% of the votes in the last presidential or legislative election may nominate a set of candidates directly. For example, during the 2012 elections, only the Kuomintang and Democratic Progressive Party were qualified to nominate candidates through this rule. Alternatively, candidates may be nominated by a petition signed by eligible voters numbering no less than 1.5% of the electors in the last legislative election. (This equaled 252,848 signatures for the 2012 election.)
List of presidential elections in Taiwan
OrderYearPartyPresidentialcandidateVice presidentialcandidatePopular vote%91996KuomintangLee Teng-huiLien Chan5,813,69954.00%Democratic ProgressivePeng Ming-minFrank Hsieh2,274,58621.13%IndependentLin Yang-kangHau Pei-tsun1,603,79014.90%IndependentChen Li-anWang Ching-feng1,074,0449.98%102000Democratic ProgressiveChen Shui-bianAnnette Lu4,977,69739.30%IndependentJames SoongChang Chau-hsiung4,664,97236.84%KuomintangLien ChanVincent Siew2,925,51323.10%IndependentHsu Hsin-liangJosephine Chu79,4290.63%NewLi AoElmer Fung16,7820.13%112004Democratic ProgressiveChen Shui-bianAnnette Lu6,471,97050.11%KuomintangLien ChanJames Soong6,442,45249.89%122008KuomintangMa Ying-jeouVincent Siew7,659,01458.45%Democratic ProgressiveFrank HsiehSu Tseng-chang5,444,94941.55%132012KuomintangMa Ying-jeouWu Den-yih6,891,13951.60%Democratic ProgressiveTsai Ing-wenSu Jia-chyuan6,093,57845.63%IndependentJames SoongLin Ruey-shiung369,5882.77%142016Democratic ProgressiveTsai Ing-wenChen Chien-jen6,894,74456.12%KuomintangEric ChuWang Ju-hsuan3,813,36531.04%People FirstJames SoongHsu Hsin-ying1,576,86112.84%152020Democratic ProgressiveTsai Ing-wenLai Ching-te8,170,23157.13%KuomintangHan Kuo-yuChang San-cheng5,522,11938.61%People FirstJames SoongSandra Yu608,5904.26%162024Democratic ProgressiveLai Ching-teHsiao Bi-khim5,586,01940.05%KuomintangHou Yu-ihJaw Shaw-kong4,671,02133.49%Taiwan People'sKo Wen-jeCynthia Wu3,690,46626.46%
See also Elections in Taiwan President of the Republic of China List of presidents of the Republic of China Vice President of the Republic of China List of vice presidents of the Republic of China Right of expatriates to vote in their country of origin#Taiwan
References