It's over! 
Oops, sorry to all those Blue and Green supporters out there, that is not the right response.

Lots of Green and Blue supports scheduled their vacation so they could fly back to Taiwan and vote. Taiwan does not allow overseas absentee voting as the US does (with possible corruption issues - this is a hot topic).

My Take:

• The Green Presidential candidate did very well
• Overall voters cared more about the economy (translation - keep nice relations with China, especially economically).
• 10% of Taiwan's population works in China, and they voted more blue.
• Taiwan's economy is struggling
• The Blue and Green party are not moderate (doomsayers on both sides).
• Taiwan is not going to become part of China as a result of the election
• President Ma was elected with a narrow victory
• US favored President Ma due to the perceived danger China relations being stirred up by the election of the Green Party candidate
• China's tourists in Taiwan were told to stay in their hotel rooms the day of the Taiwan election.

References:
Campaigning in Taiwan: Of pigs and persimmons - The Economist
Taiwan's presidential race: Big election in little China - The Economist
Taiwanese president wins reelection, vows closer ties to China - latimes.com
Chinese students learn Taiwanese values through election - Focus Taiwan

Labels: taiwan