He Turned 60,000 Voter Comments Into a Virtual City—and Shook Taiwan's Election

A new poll suggests a dramatic shift in Taipei's mayoral race: challenger Puma Shen is leading incumbent Mayor Chiang Wan-an by 17 percentage points.

But the bigger story may be how Shen is running his campaign.

Instead of relying solely on traditional speeches and campaign promises, Shen's team collected more than 60,000 public comments, held face-to-face discussions with residents, and transformed their concerns into a remarkable interactive platform called HEART Island.

The platform turns 94 policy proposals into a virtual city that voters can explore—covering everything from school lunches and public transportation to neighborhood safety and government services.

Could this approach reshape political campaigning in Taiwan?

In this episode, we examine the surprising polling numbers, the story behind HEART Island, Shen's grassroots campaign strategy, and the challenges facing Taipei's incumbent mayor.

We also look at how Beijing's criticism and the approaching mayoral debate could influence the final weeks of the election.

**Note:** Poll results vary by organization and methodology. A lead in one survey does not guarantee an election victory.

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