The 2008 Democratic Progressive Party chairmanship election took place on May 18, 2008. The election date was announced by chairperson Frank Hsieh

Frank Hsieh

Frank Hsieh Chang-ting is a Taiwanese politician of the Democratic Progressive Party in the Republic of China. He was the mayor of Kaohsiung City until his appointment as President of the Executive Yuan by president Chen Shui-bian on February 1, 2005. He announced his resignation from the post of...

 after losing the presidential election.

Chai Trong-rong

Chai Trong-rong

Chai Trong-rong

Chai Trong-rong , sometimes known in English as Trong Chai, is a Taiwanese politician. He is currently a member of the Legislative Yuan, the national legislative body of the Republic of China ....

, first president of the World United Formosans for Independence

World United Formosans for Independence

The World United Formosans for Independence , also known as WUFI, is an organization promoting Taiwan independence. It was established in 1970 by like-minded organizations in Canada, the U.S., Japan, Europe, and Taiwan...

 and former legislator, announced his candidacy on April 14, 2008. He withdrew from the election on May 12 and endorsed candidate Koo Kwang-ming.

Endorsements
Name	Former faction	Political office	References
Hsu Tain-tsair Hsu Tain-tsair Hsu Tain-tsair , a Taiwanese politician, served as the mayor of Tainan City from 2001 to 2010. Born in Tainan County , Hsu got his PhD candidacy in economics in the United States, where he started participating in the independence movement of Taiwan...	Justice Alliance Justice Alliance faction The Justice Alliance was one of the largest factions of the Democratic Progressive Party.- Members :Before its dissolution, its members included:* Chen Shui-bian, incumbent president of Taiwan.* Hsu Tain-tsair, incumbent mayor of Tainan City....	Mayor of Tainan

Koo Kwang-ming

Endorsements
Name	Former faction	Political office	References
Chai Trong-rong Chai Trong-rong Chai Trong-rong , sometimes known in English as Trong Chai, is a Taiwanese politician. He is currently a member of the Legislative Yuan, the national legislative body of the Republic of China ....	Welfare State Alliance	Member of the Legislative Yuan Legislative Yuan The Legislative Yuan is the unicameral legislature of the Republic of China .The Legislative Yuan is one of the five branches of government stipulated by the Constitution of the Republic of China, which follows Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People...
Chen Shih-meng		Secretary-General of the Presidential Office
Shieh Jhy-wey	N/A	Minister of the Government Information Office Government Information Office The Government Information Office is a cabinet-level agency of the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China in charge of promoting government policies and regulating domestic media.-History:...

Tsai Ing-wen

Tsai Ing-wen

Tsai Ing-wen

Tsai Ing-wen is the current chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan. Studying in Taiwan, the U.S and the U.K. Tsai earned an LL.B. from National Taiwan University, an LL.M. from Cornell University Law School and a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics....

, former vice premier and former chairperson of the Mainland Affairs Council

Mainland Affairs Council

The Mainland Affairs Council is a cabinet-level administrative agency under the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China. The MAC is responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of policies between the Free Area of the Republic of China, commonly known as Taiwan, and the People's...

, won support from many local executives and decided to launch her campaign. She earned endorsements from Chiayi County

Chiayi County

Chiayi County is a county in southwestern Taiwan surrounding but not including Chiayi City. Its historical name in Taiwanese Hokkien derives from Tsirosen in the Formosan languages...

 magistrate Chen Ming-wen

Chen Ming-Wen

Chen Ming-Wen , a Taiwanese politician, and a member of Legislative Yuan of Republic of China.In 1977, upon his graduation from National Chiayi University, he was elected to the Chiayi County Council as a councilor. In 1981, Chen was elected as the Chairman of the Chiayi County Council at age 27,...

, Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chu

Chen Chu

Chen Chu is a Taiwanese politician who is the current mayor of Kaohsiung. She was one of the "Kaohsiung Eight," prominent dissidents arrested after the Kaohsiung Incident in 1979...

, Tainan County magistrate Su Huan-chih

Su Huan-chih

Su Huan-chih was the magistrate of Tainan County from 2001 to 2010, until Tainan County's merger into Tainan City. Born in a rural township in southern Taiwan, Su graduated from National Taiwan University. He passed the bar examination in 1986 and started his career as a lawyer.Su made his entry...

, and Yunlin County

Yunlin County

Yunlin County is a county in the western part of Taiwan, the Republic of China. Yunlin is located to the right of the Taiwan Strait, the east of Nantou County and sharing a border with Changhua County divided by the Zhuoshui River. Yunlin is one of the counties of Taiwan that is part of the Chianan...

 magistrate Su Chih-fen.

Endorsements
Name	Former faction	Political office	References
Chen Chu Chen Chu Chen Chu is a Taiwanese politician who is the current mayor of Kaohsiung. She was one of the "Kaohsiung Eight," prominent dissidents arrested after the Kaohsiung Incident in 1979...	New Tide New Tide faction The New Tide faction was one of the factions of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan before the party voted to dissolve all factions in 2006. The faction initially advocated social democracy, attempting to work with other labor and social movements to influence public policy...	Mayor of Kaohsiung
Chen Ming-wen Chen Ming-Wen Chen Ming-Wen , a Taiwanese politician, and a member of Legislative Yuan of Republic of China.In 1977, upon his graduation from National Chiayi University, he was elected to the Chiayi County Council as a councilor. In 1981, Chen was elected as the Chairman of the Chiayi County Council at age 27,...	Justice Alliance Justice Alliance faction The Justice Alliance was one of the largest factions of the Democratic Progressive Party.- Members :Before its dissolution, its members included:* Chen Shui-bian, incumbent president of Taiwan.* Hsu Tain-tsair, incumbent mayor of Tainan City....	Magistrate of Chiayi County	N/A
Su Huan-chih Su Huan-chih Su Huan-chih was the magistrate of Tainan County from 2001 to 2010, until Tainan County's merger into Tainan City. Born in a rural township in southern Taiwan, Su graduated from National Taiwan University. He passed the bar examination in 1986 and started his career as a lawyer.Su made his entry...	Justice Alliance Justice Alliance faction The Justice Alliance was one of the largest factions of the Democratic Progressive Party.- Members :Before its dissolution, its members included:* Chen Shui-bian, incumbent president of Taiwan.* Hsu Tain-tsair, incumbent mayor of Tainan City....	Magistrate of Tainan County

Results

Candidate	Total votes cast	Percentage of vote	References
Tsai Ing-wen Tsai Ing-wen Tsai Ing-wen is the current chairperson of the Democratic Progressive Party in Taiwan. Studying in Taiwan, the U.S and the U.K. Tsai earned an LL.B. from National Taiwan University, an LL.M. from Cornell University Law School and a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics....	73,865	57.1%
Koo Kwang-ming	48,882	37.8%
Chai Trong-rong Chai Trong-rong Chai Trong-rong , sometimes known in English as Trong Chai, is a Taiwanese politician. He is currently a member of the Legislative Yuan, the national legislative body of the Republic of China ....	6,530	5.1%
Voter turnout	51.1%