Taiwan's third-largest city opened candidate registration for its next mayoral and council elections, and all three main parties rushed in on the first day — a neutral but telling early read on how the local race is shaping up.

• Taichung's election commission opened registration for the fifth-term mayor and city council races, drawing a crowd of council candidates on day one.
• Eight sitting DPP councillors from the party's "Ing" faction registered together, pitching themselves as a new-generation team focused on transport, education, jobs and welfare.
• The Taiwan People's Party turned up with chairman Huang Kuo-chang leading its six council candidates, with the stated goal of winning enough seats to form a party caucus in the chamber.
• Eight KMT incumbents from the "New Governance Alliance" registered in costume as workers from different trades, casting themselves as spokespeople for ordinary residents rather than for a party.
• Huang also said the collapse of the KMT-TPP joint ticket in the Zhubei mayoral race was regrettable, blaming the KMT for breaking its promise, while hoping the fallout stays confined to Hsinchu County.

Outlook: The blue-white alliance's breakdown in Zhubei is the story to watch, since it will shape whether the KMT and TPP cooperate or split the opposition vote in Taichung and beyond.