Maui County Council races may prove a crowded field

Four candidates have pulled papers for Kahului residency seat

Some old and new faces have emerged early in the election season, signaling they would like to take a seat on the Maui County Council.

Four candidates, including incumbent Tasha Kama, have pulled papers to run for the Kahului residency seat on the council, along with Keoni Watanabe, Cara Flores and Jack Schwartz.

Watanabe, who lived most of his childhood in Lahaina, has volunteered for Maui AIDS Foundation and American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. He also has a background in television and film, hospitality management and is a former Department of Defense contractor.

Flores, who also intends to seek the seat, is founder of Hale Hawaii and a real estate agent. Hale Hawaii, according to its Facebook page, is a grassroots group urging officials to protect Hawaii during the COVID19 pandemic.

Schwartz could not immediately be reached for comment.

Maui County Council and mayoral races are nonpartisan.

The Kahului candidates are among at least 15 Maui County residents who have pulled papers for elective office in the first week of the filing period, according to a state Office of Elections report. Candidate filing for most offices, including county and statewide races, began on Tuesday. Filing ends on June 7 for the upcoming elections.

The primary election is on Aug. 13 and the general election is on Nov. 8.

A Hawaii Supreme Court order has temporarily halted the pulling and filing of nomination papers for state legislative and U.S. representative contests, as a citizens group has challenged newly drawn reapportionment districts for these offices. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for March 15.

For the Maui County Council’s South Maui residency seat, which is currently occupied by Kelly Takaya King, her 2020 challenger Tom Cook has pulled nomination papers along with Robin Knox, an environmental scientist.

King could not immediately be reached for comment on Friday.

Cook, a construction consultant who grew up in Paukukalo, previously lost to King, who received 34,155 votes to his 25,506 in the 2020 general election.

Knox, head of the Save The Wetlands Hui and president of Water Quality Consulting, has been active in the community, taking her expertise to testify at various meetings.

For the Makawao-Haiku-Paia residency seat on the council, former journalist Dave DeLeon has expressed interest and pulled papers. DeLeon was an executive assistant to then-Mayor Linda Lingle in the 1990s and chief of staff for Mayor Alan Arakawa beginning in 2002. He also serves on the 2021-22 Maui County Charter Commission.

The Makawao-Haiku-Paia residency seat is currently occupied by Mike Molina, who is vacating the office to run for Maui County mayor.

Meanwhile, Claire Kamalu Carroll of the Hana Community Association has again pulled papers for the East Maui residency seat on the council.

In 2020, she lost to incumbent Shane Sinenci, who had 32,995 votes to her 26,245 votes. Sinenci also defeated Carroll in 2018 with 23,654 votes to her 19,467 votes.

Incumbent Yuki Lei Sugimura, who holds the Upcountry residency seat on the council, has also pulled papers to run for reelection.

For the Maui County mayoral race, five candidates have already pulled papers in the first week, including incumbent Mayor Mike Victorino and longtime Council Member Molina.

Retired 2nd Circuit Court Chief Judge Richard Bissen has declared his candidacy but has not yet pulled papers, according to the Office of Elections’ latest report Friday.

Also pulling papers are tour operator Alec Hawley of West Maui, one of seven candidates including Victorino to run for mayor in 2018, and Alana Kay, who has run previously for mayor in 2014 along with Maui County Council’s South Maui seat in 2012. Kay, who lists a Makawao address, is an author and publisher.

Jonah Lion of Makawao has also pulled papers. Lion has a background in health, physical education, youth directing, teaching, coaching and firefighting.

Selina Blackwell of Makawao has filed to run for governor under the Aloha ‘Aina Party. Blackwell could not immediately be reached for comment.

Pulling papers does not necessarily mean a candidate will appear on the ballot; they must file in order to run.