Access for indigenous candidatesBy Chen Chi-nung 陳啟濃Former legislator-at-large Kolas Yotaka has spoken out on numerous occasions about Taiwan’s electoral system for indigenous candidates and constituents. Despite living in Taipei’s Daan District (大安), she is not eligible to stand as a general legislative candidate in her area due to her indigenous status, which exemplifies the paradoxical situation in which indigenous Taiwanese all too often find themselves. While representatives in mountain townships do not necessarily have to hold indigenous status, their mayors do. Indigenous Taiwanese should be able to run as candidates and vote in the general electoral roll without renouncing their indigenous status — and all of the welfare benefits associated with it. A further issue is the crude distinction drawn between “mountains” and “plains” indigenous groups, with separate voting and candidate pools for seats in each category.

Source: Taipei Times February 28, 2026 16:06 UTC