Maui County Council Vice-Chair and mayoral candidate, Yuki Lei Sugimura, has secured an endorsement from the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, District Council 50, which represents thousands of workers across Hawaiʻi.

District Council 50 is comprised of Painters Local Union 1791, Glaziers Local Union 1889, Floor Layers Local Union 1926, Drywall Tapers Local Union 1944, and Shipyard Workers Local Union 1941.

In endorsing Sugimura, the union cited her strong support of labor values and fair wages across Maui Nui.

“We are proud to help someone who we know will look out for working families, and we look forward to working with Yuki Lei to protect the interests of working people in Hawaiʻi,” said Douglas Kema, Jr., Business Manager and Secretary-Treasurer of District Council 50.

Sugimura, who chairs the County Council’s Budget, Finance, and Economic Development Committee, expressed gratitude for the endorsement and emphasized the importance of supporting the skilled workers at the forefront of building homes for Maui County residents.

“The members of District Council 50 are the skilled men and women who turn structures into homes for local families,” said Sugimura. “I look forward to working alongside these dedicated tradespeople to expand home creation for residents and ensure fair, livable wages for the workers who make it all possible.”

The list of mayoral candidates who filed candidacy before the June 2 deadline includes the following:

• Richard Bissen (incumbent Mayor).
• John Dunbar of Haʻikū.
• Justin J. Herrmann of Lahaina.
• P. Denise La Costa of Lahaina.
• Travis A. Liggett of Makawao.
• Joseph Moses of Kahului.
• Amy Petterson of Kula.
• Yuki Lei Sugimura (Maui County Council Vice Chair).
• Callahan Welsh of Kīhei.
• Laurent Zahnd of Kahului.