To prepare for the late-2026 local 9-in-1 elections, the "Election Interference Investigation Task Force" of the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office has officially launched under the central guidance of the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors Office. As the election campaigns for township mayors and city/county councilors enter a white-hot phase, Prosecutor General Tsai Tzung-Shi—following previous tours of coastal combat zones—personally led a delegation today to the Shueishang and Zhongpu Precincts of the Chiayi County Police Bureau. Acting as a command bridge between the central and local authorities, Prosecutor General Tsai imparted the latest anti-bribery regulations and investigative strategies to grassroots law enforcement officers. His efforts specifically targeted County Councilor District 1, where the election is deadlocked due to industrial influx, and District 6, which faces the expiration of incumbents' terms and succession campaigns linked to specific corruption scandals. This action fully demonstrates the resolve to crack cases through "central guidance combined with strong local execution."

Prosecutor General Tsai pointed out that as political parties finalize their draftings and nominations, the friction between established local factions and political parties has fully ignited. In response to the region's unique political ecosystem, Prosecutor General Tsai has instructed local law enforcement agencies to cast a comprehensive dragnet backed by powerful intelligence support from central authorities. He demanded that grassroots officers strengthen evidence collection and rigorously enforce the law against the following common forms of bribery:

• (1) Interference by "Ghost Populations" (Phantom Voters): Taking District 1 as an example, Taibao City has become a development hotspot due to the influx of a science park and major infrastructure projects. The independent incumbent mayor faces a challenge from a candidate drafted by a major political party, staging a local "clash of female power." In addition to highly formidable incumbents, former councilors are staging comebacks in this district, making the electoral situation extremely tense. In response, Prosecutor General Tsai issued a comprehensive audit order, demanding that local authorities strictly investigate "ghost populations"—those who set up fictitious households or abnormally transferred their residency before the election—to fully track and lock down suspicious population movements.

• (2) Sham Banquets and Sponsored Tours: This involves providing free banquets or travel accommodations under the guise of "local inspections," "fellowship dinners," or "homecoming gatherings for expatriate villagers." In neighboring townships, incumbents are fighting hard for re-election, while opposition camps are gearing up for another battle or facing pressure from opponents who lost by a narrow margin in the previous election. Amid such deadlocked campaigns, Prosecutor General Tsai demanded that local authorities vigorously counter these disguised forms of vote-buying.

• (3) Bribery Disguised as Festivals or Temple Fairs: Authorities must strictly prevent candidates from distributing illegal gifts under the pretext of Mid-Autumn Festival gifting, local temple consecration rituals (Jianjiao), or sponsoring Ghost Festival (Zhongyuan) ceremonies. The electoral situation in District 6 is particularly complex: some townships may feature uncontested elections (single-candidate races), while others see representatives' speakers challenging incumbents. Furthermore, one specific area features a candidate who is a relative of an incumbent chief who was detained and indicted in a corruption scandal. Prosecutor General Tsai placed special emphasis on areas with backgrounds of corruption or fractured local factions. The anti-bribery task force must collaborate with local law enforcement to forcefully cut off illegal funds and exchanges of interest.

Prosecutor General Tsai emphasized that the Chiayi District Prosecutors Office will strictly follow the action guidelines of the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Prosecutors Office. Under the guidance of central policies, the office will unite all local judicial police forces to fully counter four core challenges: strictly investigating election bribery and violence, cutting off illegal gambling rings, blocking AI deepfake disinformation, and stopping foreign forces from interfering in the election. The judiciary takes no holidays; once illegal activities are detected, criminal liability will be pursued without exception.

The Chiayi District Prosecutors Office urges candidates not to defy the law, and calls on citizens to stand up and jointly safeguard a clean electoral culture and democratic achievements. If citizens discover any clues of suspected election interference, please call the toll-free whistleblower hotline: 0800-024099 (press 4 after connecting). The judicial authorities will maintain the highest standard of confidentiality regarding the whistleblower's identity and issue generous rewards: up to NT$20 million for foreign interference cases, up to NT$10 million for bribery cases, and up to NT$5 million for election gambling rings.