Tomorrow is Taiwan's presidential election. Here's your little history lesson. The first national election was held only 20 years ago, but in that time the KMT has always won. The KMT is the political party that supported Chiang Kai-Shek as he set up the Republic of China, otherwise known as Taiwan, in 1945. Martial law was imposed at that time to keep dissension down and wasn't lifted until 1996. A lot has changed in the past 20 years, including Taiwan's relationship with China.

That relationship seems to be the main, or possibly the only, issue concerning the presidential election. For the first time the main opposition party looks like it may win the presidency. The candidate is a woman named Tsai Ing-Wen and she is wildly popular down here in Kaohsiung. There is a campaign headquarters building next to our neighborhood park that has been the hub of lots of activity. Every evening this week they've had the loud speakers blaring and music playing.

I've been told by a couple of people not to make plans out of the house on Saturday evening. (I would compare these people to the ones in New England who remind you to buy milk and bread and check the firewood pile any time the weather reports call for snow.) Could it be that there will be excessive celebrations? Out of control fireworks (that wouldn't be unusual)? A general sense of unease about what may be next in Taiwan's history? This election may turn out to be a little more interesting than the one currently bubbling along back in the States.