New Taipei Mayoral Candidate's Team Errs on Typhoon Suspension Date

Lee Chuan-chiang's campaign team for New Taipei City mayor faced online criticism after mistakenly posting a graphic announcing work and class suspensions for July 11 (Saturday) instead of the correct date, July 10 (Friday). The error came as Typhoon Bawu approached Taiwan, leading New Taipei City authorities to declare a suspension of work and classes for July 10.

The graphic, intended to inform voters, was posted on the evening of July 9. Netizens quickly identified the discrepancy, pointing out not only the incorrect date but also the mislabeling of the day from Friday to Saturday. The erroneous post remained visible for approximately seven minutes before it was apparently deleted and re-uploaded with the correct information, though without an edit history.

This gaffe sparked a debate among online users about the campaign team's preparedness and attention to detail. Some questioned whether the staff had adequately reviewed important information before dissemination, especially concerning public safety announcements related to natural disasters. The incident also led to some lighthearted commentary, with one netizen joking that the error suggested a rift in the "friendship" between Lee's team and the current mayor, Hou Yu-ih, who was in office at the time.

This is not the first time Lee Chuan-chiang's team has faced scrutiny for social media errors. Previously, a campaign photo was criticized for showing a visible mouse cursor, leading to further questions about the team's operational diligence. The latest mistake has fueled discussions about the campaign's internal processes and the vetting of public communications.