Four-term Changhua councilor Chen Chung-chia registers as independent county magistrate candidate, saying both blue and green parties have failed

Chen Chung-chia entered the Changhua County magistrate race as an independent on the first day of registration, declaring that “the blue, green and white camps are all unacceptable.” His decision immediately drew attention in Changhua politics.

Chen is a four-term county councilor and the son of former lawmakers Chen Chao-jung and Yu Yueh-hsia. He said he did not tell either parent about his registration, and that they had no prior knowledge of his decision.

He described his reason for running as straightforward. Changhua is often called a swing county because voters replace one party with another when they believe the incumbent has performed poorly. Chen said the nominations from all three major political camps this time reflected party interests rather than Changhua’s future, which he said showed disrespect for local voters.

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The blue, green and white camps are all unacceptable.

Chen said he intended to run seriously and urged voters who had no preferred candidate to leave home and cast invalid ballots as a way to express their views. “Not voting makes democracy’s accomplices,” he said, arguing that abstention allows parties to continue nominating candidates for their own benefit.

Chen studied in Switzerland and the United States and holds a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Da-Yeh University. He entered the Hsihu-area county council race in 2009, winning a large vote total in his first campaign with the support of his parents, and took office in 2010. He has since won four consecutive terms. He briefly joined the Taiwan People’s Party because he wanted to seek the county magistrate position, but left in November 2023 after receiving no party support. He is now seeking the post as an independent.

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Not voting makes democracy’s accomplices.