TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) reached a record 64% approval rating Wednesday (Sept. 25) despite significant criticism over his handling of an illegal sand mining scandal. The TVBS poll revealed 44% of residents disapprove of the city government's response to environmental damage in Meinong District (美濃地區), even though his overall approval represents the highest rating in polling history for the southern Taiwan mayor.
TVBS Poll Center surveyed 1,117 Kaohsiung residents between Sept. 12-19, revealing sharp divisions in public opinion. Chen's overall approval climbed 4 percentage points compared to two years ago, yet residents overwhelmingly criticized his environmental response. The poll showed dissatisfaction with sand mining crisis management exceeded satisfaction by 6 percentage points.
Criminal groups illegally extracted sand and dumped construction waste in Meinong, creating massive sinkholes across agricultural land. City officials imposed NT$14.3 million (around US$470,000) in fines and promised enhanced enforcement patrols. The environmental scandal threatens to become a major liability as the 2026 mayoral election approaches.
Potential successors position themselves as Chen's term expires in 2026, with the environmental crisis shaping early campaign dynamics. Democratic Progressive Party legislator Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) and Kuomintang legislator Ko Chih-en (柯志恩) tie at 41% support each. The poll results suggest a competitive race between Taiwan's two major political parties for control of the island's second-largest city.
Regional voting patterns reveal distinct geographic preferences across Kaohsiung's districts. Lai dominates the Lingya-Qianzhen (苓雅前鎮) area with 51% support, while Ko leads in Fengshan-Daliao (鳳山大寮) and Gushan-Sanmin (鼓山三民) districts. Party loyalty remains exceptionally strong, with 86% of Democratic Progressive Party supporters backing Lai and 90% of Kuomintang supporters choosing Ko.
Ko holds commanding leads over alternative Democratic Progressive Party candidates, maintaining 6-9 percentage point advantages across matchups. The Kuomintang legislator leads Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑) 42% to 36%, Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩) 44% to 36%, and Lin Tai-hua (林岱樺) 42% to 33%. These results suggest Ko represents the strongest opposition challenge regardless of Democratic Progressive Party nominee selection.
TVBS conducted the poll using telephone interviews with random digit dialing methodology between 6:30-10 p.m. during the survey period. The center contacted 1,531 residents aged 20 and above, with 414 refusing to participate for a 27% refusal rate. The survey carries a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points. Pollsters weighted data for gender, age, regional distribution and education levels to ensure representative sampling across Kaohsiung's diverse population. ◼
