2016 Kuomintang chairmanship by-election

The party leadership by-election was called after Kuomintang presidential candidate Eric Chu lost the 2016 election to Democratic Progressive Party candidate Tsai Ing-wen. Chu, who had been elected as KMT leader a year prior, subsequently resigned his post.^[1] On 21 January, a day after Hung Hsiu-chu announced her candidacy, Hau Lung-pin declared his interest in the position.^[2] Apollo Chen, Chung Hsiao-ping, and Lee Hsin also joined the race,^[3][4] as did New Party chairman Yok Mu-ming, whom the KMT immediately declared ineligible.^[5]

The registration period for the election began on 26 January. Lee Hsin became the first to complete the process.^[6] Yok Mu-ming did not file his proposed candidacy, as he had been barred from doing so by the KMT the previous day.^[5] Central Advisory Committee member Chou Kai-lun filed the required documentation, but did not pay the fee, nullifying his candidacy.^[6] On 27 January, Apollo Chen, Chen Ming-yi, Hung Hsiu-chu, acting chair Huang Min-hui, and Lin Rong-te began registration.^[7] Hau Lung-pin dropped out, and Chung Hsiao-ping [zh] was rejected because he had not yet served on the party's Central Committee.^[8] On 29 January, Chen Ming-yi withdrew his candidacy.^[9][10]

To be considered eligible for the election itself, all candidates must have collected the signatures of three percent of the Kuomintang membership, a cutoff of 9,600 in 2016, by 21 February.^[11][12] Lin Rong-te dropped out of the election on 17 February, four days before the petition deadline.^[13] The four remaining candidates submitted petitions and registered for the election on 22 February.^[14] On 26 February, the party confirmed that every candidate had reached the signature threshold required to validate their candidacy.^[15] The election was held on 26 March 2016.^[16]

Hung Hsiu-chu won the election outright with 56.16% of the vote in the first round. Acting chair Huang Min-hui finished second at 33.02% while Taipei City councilor Lee Hsin and legislator Apollo Chen polled in the single digits with 5.42% and 4.83% of the vote, respectively.^[17] With the electoral victory Hung became the first elected chairwoman of the party since its establishment.^[18]

Turnout was 41.61% of 337,351 voters, the lowest turnout since the party began directly electing its leader in 2001.^[19][17]