LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i County Council will have a slightly new formation as of Dec. 1, with math teacher Ross Kagawa and former state Sen. Gary Hooser replacing council members Dickie Chang and KipuKai Kuali‘i. Before serving as a state
LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i County Council will have a slightly new formation as of Dec. 1, with math teacher Ross Kagawa and former state Sen. Gary Hooser replacing council members Dickie Chang and KipuKai Kuali‘i.
Before serving as a state senator from 2002 to 2010, Hooser served on the council from 1998 to 2002. He also had an unsuccessful run for council in 1994.
“It feels wonderful to be blessed and chosen by the people of Kaua‘i to serve,” Hooser said Tuesday night, after being confirmed back into the seven-member council body. “I’m really looking forward to working with the other members of the council and the mayor and the people of Kaua‘i to help move our community forward.”
Kagawa had worked for the council for more than six years as a legislative analyst. He will be returning to his roots, but this time as a lawmaker.
“I want to get in there and be a good voice for the people and hopefully we can make this island better,” Kagawa said Tuesday evening, after the final results were released by the state Office of Elections.
He said he learned a lot during his time as a council staff, when Ron Kouchi was the chair. Now, Kagawa is looking forward to working with Council Chair Jay Furfaro and learning from him, he said.
Councilwoman Nadine Nakamura, who came in second in her first bid for council in 2010, was the candidate with the most votes Tuesday.
“I’m thrilled. I’ve just got to thank everyone who voted and supported me,” said Nakamura, adding that the percentage of registered voters who cast their votes, 62.9 percent, was “terrific.”
Council Vice Chair JoAnn Yukimura came in second, only 28 votes behind Nakamura. She said she was “very thankful” to all who supported her, but also praised all voters.
“I really appreciate all those who took the time out to vote, no matter who they voted for,” Yukimura said. “I think it’s so important that people exercise their right and responsibility. People are dying in other countries for their right to vote and determine their leadership by election. I think we are showing the world how to do it.”
Councilman Tim Bynum almost didn’t make the cut. He came in 8th place in the Aug. 11 primaries, but Tuesday, when the final results were released, Bynum was more than 500 votes ahead of the eight candidate, Kuali‘i.
“I won,” Bynum said Tuesday. He followed the results at home, with a couple of his friends.
This is Bynum’s second win in one week. On Oct. 29, he almost died of pulmonary embolism, after a couple blood clots made it to his lungs. Bynum said he was released from the hospital on Monday, and is expected to have a full recovery.
“It’s been a very dramatic evening,” he said of Election Day. “It’s very significant changes in the council to have Dickie and KipuKai gone. Obviously I wanted to remain in council, it’s been a very rough year.”
Furfaro said he was “humbled and pleased” at the same time.
“This is my last run,” Furfaro said. “This is the end of my time at the council with the new term limits. I’m hoping we can make it a very productive two years.”
More than anything, he said, he wanted to congratulate all nine candidates in such a close race.
Chang was first elected to the council in 2008, and in 2010 he was re-elected. He had an unsuccessful run for council in 1992, when he came in a distant 12th place in the primaries.
“I enjoyed serving the council and I will do my best to do everything I can for the community,” Chang said. “I love Kaua‘i and I’ll do anything and everything I can to move this island forward.”
Kuali‘i thanked the nearly 12,000 voters who cast their votes for him. “Mahalo nui loa to the people of Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau for their overwhelming support,” he said. “Please stick with me as I continue serving in other ways.”
• Léo Azambuja can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
