Hsinchu: Suspended Hsinchu Mayor Kao Hung-an, also known as Ann Kao, received a reprieve from her legal challenges on Saturday, as she survived a recall vote with more citizens voting against her recall than for it.

According to Focus Taiwan, the recall campaign against Kao, initiated by Tai Chen-feng, a legislative aide to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) caucus whip Ker Chien-ming, was described as a “civic movement.” As of 7:15 p.m., with 335 of 356 polling stations reporting, 116,263 votes were cast against recalling Kao, compared to 80,814 in favor. The votes in favor did not meet the 90,078 required to pass the recall motion.

Kao, a former member of the opposition Taiwan People’s Party (TPP), expressed her gratitude at a press conference, stating that the support from her team and citizens made her feel “definitely not alone.” She emphasized that fending off the recall was crucial for maintaining the stability and direction of Hsinchu City’s development. Kao is currently appealing a sentence of seven years and four months after being found guilty of corruption charges in July 2024, which led to her suspension as mayor.

Kao’s continued tenure as mayor means the DPP will not gain control of the city. Had the recall succeeded, the Cabinet would have appointed an acting mayor, allowing the central government under President Lai Ching-te to take over city administration, as Kao has less than half of her four-year term remaining.

At 41, Kao is one of the TPP’s most prominent figures. She became Hsinchu’s youngest and first female mayor in November 2022, winning the position at 38. Kao was also the first municipal leader from the TPP, a party founded in 2019 to challenge the DPP and KMT’s traditional dominance.

Before her mayoral role, Kao was one of the TPP’s five at-large lawmakers, contributing to the party’s rise to become Taiwan’s third-largest in 2020. She resigned from her legislative seat to assume the mayoral office. Kao holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Cincinnati and has connections to Foxconn, with her political entry supported by Foxconn founder Terry Gou.

During her mayoral campaign, KMT candidate Lin Ken-jeng accused Kao of falsifying salary reports and exploiting her legislative assistants. The Taipei District Prosecutors Office indicted her on charges of corruption and document forgery. On July 26, 2024, exactly one year before her recall, the Taipei District Court found her guilty of illicitly obtaining NT$460,030 (US$15,610), sentencing her to prison and stripping her of civil rights for four years. She subsequently announced her withdrawal from the TPP.