24 on Maui Pull Papers for Candidacy

Maui voter booth, file photo by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

A total of 24 Maui residents have pulled papers for the upcoming 2014 elections since the candidate filing period began on Feb. 3.

Potential candidates have until 4:30 p.m. on June 3, 2014, to file papers if they intend to become a candidate for this year’s election cycle.

The Primary Election this year will be held on Saturday, Aug. 9, and the General Election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014.

The following is a list of individuals who have pulled papers for various seats representing Maui:

State Senate, District 5 (Wailuku/Waiheʻe/Kahului):  Democratic incumbent Gil Keith-Agaran of Wailuku pulled papers on Feb. 5 seeking re-election. Agaran served in the state House from 2009 to 2013, before being appointed to the state Senate in 2013 to fill the post left vacant by Lieutenant Governor Shan Tsutsui. Keith-Agaran won re-election to the post in 2012 and currently serves as vice-chair of the Tourism Committee, and is a member of the Higher Education, Transportation and International Affairs, and Ways and Means committees. Republican challenger Joseph K. Kamaka pulled papers on the same day. Neither have filed as of Friday.

State House, District 8 (Kahakuloa/Waiheʻe/Waiehu/Puʻuohala/Wailuku/Waikapū):  Wailuku resident Cranston Kapoi pulled papers for the seat on Feb. 4, 2014, as a Republican. The seat is currently held by House Speaker Joe Souki, who has served in the state Legislature since 1982.

State House, District 10 (West Maui/Māʻalaea/North Kīhei):  Lahaina resident Chayne M. Marten pulled papers for the seat on Feb. 3, 2014, as a Republican.  The seat is currently held by Angus McKelvey who has served in the state House since 2006. McKelvey currently chairs the House Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee, and is a member of the Legislative Management Committee.

Maui Mayor: Five people have pulled papers so far for the Maui mayor’s race, but none had filed as of Friday. Incumbent Mayor Alan M. Arakawa of Kahului pulled papers on Feb. 5, 2014, for what would be a bid for re-election for a second consecutive four-year term. The mayor also served in the same capacity between 2002 and 2006. Others who have pulled papers for the office to date include: Alana Kay of Kīhei; Orion M. Kopelman of Kahului; Carson Nemoto of Wailuku; and Tamara A.M. Paltin of Lahaina.

East Maui Council: Incumbent Councilman Robert Carroll pulled papers for re-election on Feb. 3, 2014. Carroll currently serves as vice-chair of the County Council, and is the chair of the Council’s Land Use Committee.

West Maui Council: Three individuals have pulled papers for the seat so far, including incumbent Councilwoman Eleanora “Elle” K. Cochran who currently serves as chair of the Council’s Infrastructure and Environmental Management Committee, and vice chair of the Housing, Human Services and Transportation Committee.  Cochran is now rounding out her second two-year term, after first being elected to the West Maui seat in 2010. Others who pulled papers for the seat include Butch K. Buenconsejo and Frederick Mejia Nava, both of Lahaina.

Wailuku/Waiheʻe/Waikapū Council: Council incumbent Michael P. Victorino pulled papers on Feb. 10, 2014, for re-election. Victorino is rounding out his third two-year term, after first being elected to the Wailuku seat in 2008. Victorino currently serves as chair of the Water Resources Committee and vice chair of the Council’s Planning Committee.

Kahului Council:  Council incumbent Donald S. Guzman pulled papers for re-election on Feb. 12, 2014. He is reaching the end of his freshman term with the council after winning election in 2012. Guzman currently serves as chair of the Economic Development, Energy, Agriculture, and Recreation Committee, and vice chair of the Land Use Committee. He faces a potential challenge from former councilman Joseph Pontanilla who served five consecutive years in the Kahului council seat before reaching his term limit in 2012. For the past two years, he has been employed as an executive assistant to the mayor.

South Maui Council: Council incumbent Don Couch of Kīhei pulled papers for re-election to the South Maui seat. Couch won election to the post in 2010, and is rounding out his second two-year term. He currently serves as chair of the Council’s Planning Committee, and vice chair of the Policy and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. Potential challenger, John Fitzpatrick of Kīhei pulled papers for the seat earlier this month.

Makawao/Haʻikū/Pāʻia Council: Former councilman Mike Molina pulled papers for his old seat last week. Molina served for five consecutive two-year terms before reaching his term limit in 2010. He is currently employed as an executive assistant to the mayor for the Makawao, Pāʻia and Central Maui areas. He is currently the only person who had pulled papers for the post as of Friday. The seat is currently held by Mike White who won election to the post in 2010, and is currently serving his second term.

Upcountry Council: Councilwoman Gladys Coelho Baisa pulled papers for a fifth consecutive 2-year term, representing the Upcountry area of Maui. Baisa was first elected to the council in 2006. She currently serves as council chair, and is a member of seven council committees.

Lānaʻi Council: Lānaʻi City resident Alberta DeJetley pulled papers for the Lānaʻi seat. She was one of five candidates on the 2008 primary election ballot for the post, which was eventually won by Sol Kahoʻohalahala. As of Friday, DeJetley was the sole person listed on the potential candidate list for this year. The seat is currently held by G. Riki Hokama who returned to the council in 2010 after taking two years off when he reached a term limit of 10 consecutive years in 2008.    

Molokaʻi Council: Council incumbent Stephanie “Stacy” Crivello pulled papers for re-election for a second consecutive term. Crivello won election to the Molokaʻi Council Seat in 2012, filling the vacancy created by Danny Mateo, who reached his term limit.

OHA Trustee Island of Maui: Incumbent trustee Carmen Hulu Lindsey pulled papers to maintain her post as the Maui trustee on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Lindsey was appointed by the governor to the post in January 2012 when retired Judge Boyd Mossman vacated the seat to fulfill a church calling in Kona. Lindsey won election to the post in November 2012. She faces a potential challenge from Haʻikū resident Mahealani Wendt who pulled papers for the post on Feb. 7, 2014.

Candidate filing on Maui for federal, state, and county elective offices is available at the Office of the County Clerk, Elections Division office located at 200 South High Street, Room 708, in Wailuku. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Additional information for potential candidates who are Maui County residents can be obtained by calling (808) 270-7749.

For voters, the last day to register to vote in this year’s Primary Election is Thursday, July 10. The last day to request absentee mail ballots for the Primary is Saturday, Aug. 2.