Kaua‘i voters on Nov. 4 will have an opportunity to cast ballots for candidates seeking election in two local battles, three state races and two contests at the federal level. At the county level, Kaua‘i County Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura is
Kaua‘i voters on Nov. 4 will have an opportunity to cast ballots for candidates seeking election in two local battles, three state races and two contests at the federal level.
At the county level, Kaua‘i County Councilwoman JoAnn Yukimura is squaring off against county Parks and Recreation Director Bernard Carvalho for mayor. The top vote-getter will serve the two years left on the late Mayor Bryan Baptiste’s term in office.
On the legislative side, voters can cast ballots for up to seven of the 14 Kaua‘i County Council candidates.
Incumbents Bill “Kaipo” Asing, Jay Furfaro, Tim Bynum and Ron Kouchi will be looking to hold onto their seats against former and first-time candidates. Daryl Kaneshiro, Bruce Pleas, Christobel Kealoha, Ron Agor, KipuKai “Les” Kuali‘i, George Thronas Jr., Rhoda Libre, Lani Kawahara, Dickie Chang and Derek Kawakami round out the list of residents seeking a two-year term on the seven-member council.
Councilman Mel Rapozo’s was unsuccessful in his bid for mayor, finishing third in the Sept. 20 primary.
Councilwoman Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho will serve as the next county prosecutor. Running unopposed, she will replace Craig DeCosta.
At the state level, Republican JoAnne Georgi is challenging Democrat Sen. Gary Hooser for his 7th District seat which covers Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau.
The three state representatives for the county — Roland Sagum, D-16th District; James Tokioka, D-15th District; and Mina Morita, D-14th District — were unopposed at the primary. The incumbents will return to the state Legislature for another two-year term.
Kaua‘i voters will also decide who represents them at the 14-member state Board of Education, which sets the policy for more than 280 island schools.
Bill Sanborn is running against incumbent Herbert Watanabe for the 1st Departmental School District Seat in the 2nd School Board District while Larry Fillhart challenges incumbent Maggie Cox for the 7th Departmental School District Seat.
Also at the state level, Kaua‘i voters will see nine candidates vying for four at-large seats with the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
Haunani Apoliona, Helene Honda, Colin Kippen and Sol Nalua‘i are running for the at-large seat. Bob Lindsey and Willy Meyers are racing for Hawai‘i resident trustee; Donald Cataluna is unopposed for Kaua‘i resident trustee; and Colette Machado is running against Waipa Purdy for Moloka‘i resident trustee.
At the federal level, incumbent U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-2nd Congressional District, is looking to fend off Republican challenger Roger Evans, Libertarian Lloyd “Jeff” Mallan and Independent Shaun Stenshol.
Voters will see six candidates on the ballot for president of the United States: Democrat Barack Obama, Republican John McCain, Independent Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney of the Green Party, Libertarian Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin of the Constitution Party.
Early voting at the County Annex basement ends Nov. 1.
On the Net: www.kauai.gov/elections or hawaii.gov/elections.
