The mayoral races are seen as important not only as a test of the incumbent candidates 'political record, but also as a prelude to the 2004 presidential elections. How much this year's elections will be affected by the recent demonstration by 120,000 farmers and fishermen, the partial cabinet reshuffle and the shifting relationship between President Chen Shui-bian and former President Lee Teng-hui, is something that observers are also watching with interest.
一般認為，北高市長選舉的重要性，除了檢驗現任候選人的政績外，也被視為二○○四年總統大選的前哨戰，而十二萬名農漁民遊行、內閣人事部分改組、扁李關係生變，將為選情投下多少變數，都是觀察選情的指標。