過去有關議員質詢的研究大多數是針對國會議員來進行分析，對於地方議員的研究並不多。因此，本文將研究焦點放在地方議員於口頭總質詢時的表現，希望能補充相關研究的成果。本文以苗栗縣第十八屆議會來進行探討，希望能檢視具有不同特性的縣議員，也就是縣議員的黨籍、派系、所屬選區之都市化程度及資深程度等，是否會影響其質詢的問題數量與質詢內容所牽涉到的政策領域及分布狀況。研究結果顯示，在質詢的問題數量上，執政黨內之反對派議員、來自市鎮、及較資深的議員會提出較多的問題。反對黨議員並沒有提出顯著較多的問題。在政策領域的分析上，第十八屆議員最關注的前五個政策領域依序是：政府業務、交通、教育、社區發展與住房，及國內商業等議題。其次，不同政黨議員關心的政策領域是有異同的。兩黨議員在教育與政府業務上都十分關心，但國民黨與無黨偏藍議員比較偏重交通及社區發展與住房等議題；反對黨議員則會比較關注農業及地方財政等領域。最後，在質詢多樣性分析上，研究結果顯示劉派、市鎮型、女性、不具大學學歷及較資深議員，其質詢內容所涵蓋的政策議題顯著較多。

Many scholars have researched the questions raised by members of parliament. However, there were not many studies on local councilors. This research aims to analyze the content of the general questions of councilors to supplement the current related research. Constrained by limited time and resources, this article examines the questions raised by the eighteenth Miaoli County Council. In addition, this article wants to study whether the county councilor's party membership, faction, seniority, and urbanization degree of their constituencies will affect the number of questions asked and the policy areas involved in their questions. The results show that in terms of the number of questions asked, more questions were raised by the ruling party’s opposition members, members from municipalities, and more senior members. Councilors from the oppositional party did not ask significantly more questions. Regarding policy area analysis, the top five policy areas that the eighteenth councilors are concerned about are government operation, transportation, education, community development and housing, and local commerce issues. Both parties are worried about the problems of education and government operation. However, different political parties focus on various policy areas. Members of the ruling party are more concerned about transportation and community development and housing issues. Councilors of the opposition party are more concerned about the agricultural issues, local economy and public finances, government operations, and local business. Finally, in the analysis of issues diversity, the results show that the councilor, who is from the ruling party’s opposition faction, from a municipality, female, more senior, and does not have a college degree, covers more policy areas in their questions.

縣議員、質詢、議程、派系、苗栗

county councilor, question, agenda, faction, Miaoli