The DPP previously held 13 of 22 municipalities and counties, but won only 6 in this election due to widespread public distrust, a de facto vote of no confidence on President Tsai's Administration, both politically (relations with China), economically (agriculture, tourism), and socially (pollution, labor laws, wages), which were reflected in the series of referendum results.

This local election was seen as the first test for the incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen since assuming office in May 2016.

[6] This trend has continued in the 2016 elections, where the Democratic Progressive Party won a majority in the Legislative Yuan with 68 seats and the presidency.

The DPP secretary general Hung Yao-fu and Secretary-General to the President Chen Chu also announced their resignations.

[7] Defector and self-proclaimed former spy William Wang claimed that the government of China had successfully supported candidates in the 2018 Taiwanese local elections.