Four council challengers sign up

On the official first day of the 2002 Kaua’i County election

campaign, four County Council candidates were registered by

mid-afternoon Friday.

A businessman — Ray Paler, owner of Kaua’i Paging and Communications

— and three past candidates — Mel Rapozo, a Lihu’e private

investigator, Bob Cariffe, a familiar sight picking up cans on the

side of roads, and Ann Donovan-Punohu — all threw their proverbial

hats in the ring.

Donovan-Punohu and Cariffe ran previously in 2000. Rapozo narrowly

missed making the council in 1998, finishing eighth. The top seven

vote-getters are elected to the council.

This is Paler’s first campaign.

At least three council seats will be available in this fall’s

election. Councilmen Ron Kouchi and Bryan Baptiste are running for

mayor in an attempt to replace Maryanne Kusaka, who is in the final

year of her two-term limit allowed by the state constitution.

In addition, Councilman Gary Hooser announced recently he will be run

for the state Senate held by Jonathan Chun.

Candidates for county offices have until July 23 to fill out their

applications and obtain their nomination papers.

In 2000, there were 16 council candidates.

State and federal offices up for grabs this year include both U.S.

representative seats, the governor and lieutenant governor slots, all

76 legislative seats, six board of education seats and five Office of

Hawaiian Affairs positions.

Nomination papers for federal, state and county offices are available

at the county clerk’s office in Historic County Building on Rice

Street.

This year’s primary election is slated for Sept. 21, followed by the

general election Nov. 5.

Election and candidate filing is available from the state Office of

Elections at www.state.hi.us/elections.

Staff writer Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and

mailto:dwilken@pulitzer.net