Hsu Hsin-ying, the Kuomintang nominee, holds the leading position in trader assessments for the November 2026 Hsinchu County magistrate race due to her March primary victory and the party's long-term control of the county executive since 2001. The Democratic Progressive Party's June nomination of Cheng Chao-fang as its standard-bearer provides the principal opposition, yet recent polling and party positioning continue to favor the KMT candidate in this traditional stronghold. Earlier primary disputes involving Chen Chien-hsien and minor contenders such as Lin Szu-ming have not altered the overall alignment of support. With the vote still months away, scheduled party coordination efforts and local campaign activities remain the main variables that could influence final margins before election day.