7 Key Takeaways: Cost of Politics
7 Key Takeaways: Cost of Politics
Population: 23.5 million
Head of Government: President Lai Ching-Te
Ruling party/coalition: Democratic Progressive Party
Last election: 2024
Next election: 2028
Number of registered voters: 19.5 million
Annual salary of member of legislature: USD 81,600
Year of study: 2025
Legislative candidates campaign expenditures range widely depending on constituency size, with campaigns often costing over TWD 10 million or USD 300,000 significantly more than local-level races.
The majority of these funds—58%—were spent on campaign advertising, followed by personnel costs (13%) and event-related expenses (13%).
The average amount of political donations spent per candidate in the 2024 legislative election was TWD 8.9 million - equivalent to 13.7 years of an average citizen’s salary and 3.5 years of a legislator’s salary.
Taiwan’s mixed-member majoritarian system structurally favours major parties whose candidates benefit from stronger institutional support, financial backing and established political networks.
Campaign financing reports, mandated under the Political Donations Act, cover only a 10-month period and rely on self-reporting. As such, they provide a limited view of actual campaign costs, especially in early and post-election phases.
Gender and age had minimal impact on the amount of political donations received in the 2024 election, though female candidates still faced higher expectations regarding governance performance and balancing family roles.
The emotional and psychological toll of running for office—including stress, public scrutiny, and personal sacrifices—was cited as a major intangible cost, especially for newcomers without party backing or political lineage.
Population: 23.5 million
Head of Government: President Lai Ching-Te
Ruling party/coalition: Democratic Progressive Party
Last election: 2024
Next election: 2028
Number of registered voters: 19.5 million
Annual salary of member of legislature: USD 81,600
Year of study: 2025
Key Findings
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Context
- Following the 2005 constitutional amendment, Taiwan’s legislative electoral system was changed to a mixed-member system with two votes per voter.
- Article 134 of the Constitution of the Republic of China (Taiwan) not only formally recognises women's right to political participation but also serves as a fundamental legal basis for the protection of women's political rights. In the context of legislative elections, the constitutional amendment in 1991 first codified the provision for a women’s representation quota. Among the 113 members of the Legislative Yuan elected in 2024, 41.6% are women—maintaining the same level of female representation as in the 2020 election.
- One notable feature of the 11th Legislative Yuan is that 48.7% of its members are first-time legislators—the highest proportion of successful challengers in Taiwan's legislative history.
Drivers of the cost of politics
- The primary polling period typically lasts about a month. Since nominations are based on the level of support in public opinion polls, name recognition becomes the key factor in winning the primary. Expenses for promotional materials such as billboards, campaign videos, Facebook posts, and media coverage are essential.
- The primary stage is essentially an internal party contest, but candidates still campaign vigorously to secure the party's nomination for the district seat. Beyond the single-member district system as a contributing factor, if a given district is considered a party stronghold, winning the primary can effectively determine the outcome of the general election.
- Campaign publicity typically falls into two categories: traditional media and new media. People immediately associate traditional media with campaign billboards, printed flyers, and promotional giveaways.
- New media campaign tactics primarily focus on digital platforms and social media, such as Facebook and Line. These tactics include selecting which platforms to target, determining optimal ad timing, crafting the style and tone of promotional content, and planning next steps. Given the maturity of the internet and the speed at which information circulates, candidates also recognise the importance of new media campaigning.
- Standard mobilization activities include campaign headquarters openings, joint rallies with other candidates, and the high-energy "Election Eve Rallies." The latter two are particularly significant, as they are often attended by the party's presidential candidate, effective in boosting exposure for the legislative candidates. In addition, some candidates organise family-friendly activities or public talks in their constituencies in an effort to engage with as many voters as possible.
- Intangible costs can be broadly categorized into five key areas: time investment, campaign team, party affiliation, social networks, and mental health.
- Although the intensity of publicity efforts typically decreases after the election period, it does not cease entirely. Some legislators continue to purchase online advertisements—particularly on platforms such as Facebook—to maintain public visibility, while others limit such activities to campaign seasons. Furthermore, participation in community events, such as weddings and funerals, also constitutes a vital aspect of constituency service. In Taiwan, it is customary to offer cash gifts as a gesture of congratulations at weddings and as condolences at funerals—acts that are both culturally meaningful and politically symbolic.
- Another major cost that newly elected legislators must face is the fundraising quota. Each political party has its own expectations, but for most legislators, the annual fundraising target ranges from TWD 250-300,000.
Sources of funds
- Although party subsidies accounted for only a small portion of total political donations—approximately 2% in the 2024 legislative election—the influence of party affiliation extends far beyond direct financial contributions. Candidates affiliated with major parties, political families, or influential factions benefit from a range of tangible and intangible advantages, particularly in single-member district races where local presence and visibility are crucial.
- In contrast to the strong influence of social capital, demographic characteristics such as gender and age appear to have a limited impact on political fundraising outcomes.
- Although corporate donations do not surpass individual contributions in percentage, they are often made as long-term investments, much like paying an insurance premium. These for-profit enterprises are often large conglomerates, family-run businesses, regulated industries, or domestically based enterprises in Taiwan—many with strong political ties or significant investments in China.
Recommendations
- Candidates participating in primaries should be required to submit separate disclosures for political donations received during the primary phase. Although political donation reports cannot fully reflect the overall political cost, the establishment and enforcement of laws such as the Political Donations Act and the Act on Property Declaration by Public Servants provide the public with greater access to information for informed judgment.
- There is a need to lower the threshold for election deposits to ensure the right of citizens to participate in politics is not only protected by the Constitution, but realised in practice.
