According to a recent survey by the Common Wealth Magazine, mayors and magistrates of the DPP generally received higher approval ratings among voters than their KMT counterparts, but it's still too early to tell how much influence such a result will have on the year-end elections.

Kaohsiung county magistrate Yang Chiu-hsing is rated the top of the approval ratings survey list.

He says he's grateful and believes it will be a plus for his election bid.

Kaohsiung mayor Chen Chu, who was ranked no. 2 last year, slides one notch to no. 3.

In light of Yang's top ranking, Chen says she won't be pressured but will continue to work harder.

In Common Wealth Magazine's 2010 approval rating survey of counties and cities nationwide, the top six places are run by the opposition DPP, which is even more confident for the year-end elections.

On the other hand, the rankings of KMT-ruled counties and cities have dropped sharply.

Taichung mayor Jason Hu, who was ranked at no. 5, now slides to no. 18.

Hu says he'll reflect on himself.

Observers believe the KMT's top star took a blow in his approval ratings because of the death of Taichung gangster Wong Chi-nan.

But Hu declines to comment on the reasons. As the year-end election is approaching, the survey serves as some indication for observers.