Under the leadership of President Chen Shui-bian, the DPP mobilized the Presidential Office, the Executive Yuan, and the party faithful to assist in the election campaign. But the DPP faced the disadvantage that the electorate of Hualien County, which is evenly divided among Taiwan's four major ethnic groups-people of Fukienese ancestry, the Hakka, recent mainland immigrants and their offspring, and aboriginal tribespeople-traditionally cast their ballots for the pan-blue camp.
民進黨則在總統陳水扁領軍下，動員府院黨輔選，但花蓮閩、客、外省、原住民四大族群均衡的人口比例，傳統上屬於泛藍陣營票倉，不利於民進黨。