Sugimura pulls papers for Mayor of Maui County; announces key endorsement

Yuki Lei Sugimura, Maui County Council Vice-Chair and holder of the Upcountry residency seat, has officially pulled papers to campaign for Mayor of Maui County. The campaign also announced an endorsement from the Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association, Local 630.

Sugimura, a small business owner and community advocate who currently chairs the Council’s Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee, noted that the endorsement reinforces her platform on emphasizing local workforce and infrastructure. 

“I am deeply honored to have the trust and support of the hard-working men and women of the Masons union,” Sugimura said. “These are critical homebuilders for our community, and their endorsement validates our message that by streamlining our permitting process and investing in core infrastructure, we can lower the cost of living, create local jobs, and ensure that our children can afford to call Maui Nui home.”

Sugimura’s platform focuses on transparency and accountability, economic development and the “pipes, permits, and pavement” necessary to address Maui’s housing crisis.

Earlier this month Sugimura launched “Future of Maui Nui Survey,” an opportunity to create a community-first mayoral platform. The digital survey is accessible now at www.yukileiformayor.com/survey. Results of the survey will be compiled and released at a later date.

Others who have expressed interest early on in the mayoral seat include incumbent Mayor Richard Bissen, P. Denise La Costa and Justin Herrmann. Sugimura, La Costa and Herrmann have all pulled papers as of Friday. Wailuku resident, Joseph Moses also pulled papers, but none had filed papers at last report.

Candidate filing officially began Feb. 2, and ends on June 2, 2026. The Primary Election is on Aug. 8 and the General Election is on Nov. 3, 2026.

For more information on the campaign, visit www.yukileiformayor.com.