Four lawmakers unopposed for re-election; Mayor’s office and a few Maui Council seats hotly contested

Two Maui County Council members are headed back to office without a fight, along with Central Maui Sen. Troy Hashimoto and Kahului Rep. Justin Woodson who’re also uncontested for re-election.

Council Members Keani Rawlins-Fernandez of Kaunakakai and Gabe Johnson of Lānaʻi City are the only candidates who filed for their respective residency seats — Molokāʻi and Lānaʻi — by Tuesday’s filing deadline, making them winners by default in the Nov. 3 general election.

The deadline to file nomination papers was June 2 for the Aug. 8 primary election. Winners of the primary advance to the general election. Council races with only two candidates automatically move on to the general election.

Four other council district races — South Maui, West Maui, East Maui and Makawao-Haʻikū-Pāʻia — each drew exactly two candidates, meaning those contests also advance directly to the general election without a primary vote.

The hotly contested primary races are for mayor and for the Council seats representing Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū, Kahului and Upcountry, where multiple candidates filed and a primary vote will be needed to narrow the field.

Mayor

Incumbent Mayor Richard Bissen is seeking re-election and faces a challenge from longtime Maui County Council Vice Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura.

Eight other candidates also filed for 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, Callahan Welsh of Kīhei and Laurent Zahnd of Kahului.

Maui County Council

• Wailuku-Waiheʻe-Waikapū: James (Nahele) Forrest, Randy Haʻaheo Konohia, Ashley Awakea Lindsey, Alan Lloyd and Marvin Moniz.
• Kahului: Incumbent Kauanoe Batangan. Jason Ababan and Carol Lee Kamekona.
• Upcountry: Derrick W. Cabiles of Pukalani, John B. Guard IV of Kula, Bobby Pahia of Pukalani and Jon Masaru Yokouchi of Kula.
• South Maui: Incumbent Tom Cook vs. Kelly King.
• Makawao-Haʻikū-Pāʻia: Incumbent Nohe Uʻu-Hodgins vs, Stevie Kathryn Chung.
• West Maui: Incumbent Tamara Paltin vs. Mark Tillman.
• East Maui: Incumbent Shane Sinenci vs. Claire Kamalu Carroll.
• Molokaʻi: Incumbent Keani Rawlins-Fernandez, unopposed.
• Lāna‘i: Incumbent Gabe Johnson, unopposed.

State House races:

• District 9 (Kahului, Pu‘unēnē, portion of Wailuku): Democrat Rep. Justin Woodson, unopposed.
• District 10: (Portion of Waiehu, Paukūkalo, Wailuku, Wailuku Heights and Waikapū) Democrat Rep. Tyson Miyake, Democrat Kiʻi Kahoʻohanohano of Wailuku and Republican Travis Bumanglag of Wailuku.
• District 11 (A portion of Mā‘alaea and all of Kīhei, Keawakapu, Wailea, Mākena, Kanahena and Keone‘ōio): Democrat Rep. Terez Amato and Republican Sheila Walker of Kīhei.
• District 12 (A portion of Keahua and all of Hāliʻimaile, Pukalani, Makawao, Pūlehu, Waiakoa, Kula, Kēōkea and ʻUlupalakua): Democrat Rep. Kyle Yamashita, Democrat Keoni Kuoha of Makawao and Republican Dan Johnson of Pukalani.
• District 13 (Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, Kaho‘olawe, portion of Kahului, Ha‘ikū, Pe‘ahi, Huelo, Nāhiku, Hāna, Kīpahulu): Democrat Rep. Mahina Poepoe and Republican Robin Vanderpool of Pāʻia. 
• District 14 (Kahakuloa, Waihe‘e, portions of Waiehu and Mā‘alaea, Olowalu, Lahaina, Lahainaluna, Kā‘anapali, Māhinahina Camp, Kahana and Honokahua): Republican Rep. Elle Cochran, Democrat Kanamu Balinbin of Lahaina, Green Party Paʻele Kiakona of Lahaina, Democrat Ashley Olson of Lahaina and Democrat Sne Patel of Lahaina.

Senate contests:

• District 5 (Wailuku, Kahului, Waihe‘e, Waikapu Mauka, Wai‘ehu):
  • Democrat Sen. Troy Hashimoto, uncontested.

Two Maui County Senate seats are not part of this year’s election cycle:

• District 6 (West Maui, Mā‘alaea, Waikapū and South Maui): Democrat Sen. Angus McKelvey
• District 7 (Hāna, East Maui, Upcountry, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i): Democrat Sen. Lynn DeCoite.