2024 Primary Election: Only 2 local races, with one decided, the other an open field

One race is already decided while the other is chock full of candidates hoping to either continue serving Kaua‘i County or win a chance to step up by winning a seat at the council table in this year’s primary elections on the Garden Isle.

Kaua‘i County Prosecuting Attorney Rebecca Like of Anahola, who has filled the post for the past 2 years after winning a special election, will get another 4-year term. She is running uncontested in the Aug. 10 primary race after no one else filed.

The real suspense is in this year’s Kaua‘i County Council race.

The council consists of 7 at-large members and all of the incumbents are each seeking another 2-year term. Taking them head on are 10 challengers wanting their turn helping craft and make county policy.

There are a total of 17 candidates in the race. Fortunately, there’s not much time left to find out who wins their chance.

Primary Election Day is now less than 2 months away. The filing deadline for candidates was June 4.

Voters should start seeing 2024 primary ballots arriving in their mailboxes beginning July 23. Once they’re completed, there are several ways to make sure the county gets them back.

There will be 9 ballot drop boxes in various communities around the island where voters can return their completed ballots. They can also bring ballots in person to a voter service center in Līhuʻe.

Drop boxes will be available 24 hours a day starting July 18 and through 7 p.m. the day of the primaries.

The voter service center in Līhuʻe will be open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday beginning July 29. Then it will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Primary Day.

“Voter service centers provide accessible in-person voting, same-day voter registration and collection of voted ballots,” says the Hawai‘i Office of Elections on its website.

The center will be located in the basement of the Historic County Annex Building in Līhuʻe. The same hours, location and days will be observed at the center from Oct. 22 through General Election Day on Nov. 5.

No matter how they’re returned, the county must receive completed ballots back by 7 p.m. the night of the primaries and General Election Day to be counted.

Voters should start to find their General Election ballots in the mail the week of Oct. 18.

For a map of ballot drop box locations, the voter service center and U.S. Post Office collection points, click here.

For more about best practices for mail-in voting and making sure you’re registered to cast your ballot, click here.

For additional information about the upcoming elections, candidates, ballot dropoff places and more, click here. You can find a 2024 election timeline on the Kaua‘i County Office of the County Clerk Elections Division website.

Here is a list of candidates — with names in alphabetical order and as they will appear on ballots, along with their communities of residence and campaign websites/emails, when available — in this year’s primary races in Kaua‘i County.

Kaua‘i County Prosecuting Attorney, nonpartisan; 4-year term

• LIKE, Rebecca V. (incumbent); Anahola; rebeccavlike@gmail.com; www.rebeccalike.org.

With no one contesting her in the primary, Like, who has served as county prosecutor for the past 2 years after claiming the post in a special election, will continue to serve Kaua‘i County for at least one more term.

Kaua‘i County Council, at-large; 2-year term

• APILADO, Abe Jr. “Aba-G”; Waimea; a.apilado74@gmail.com.
• BULOSAN, Addison (incumbent); Līhuʻe; addisonbulosan@gmail.com; www.addisonbulosan.com.
• CARVALHO, Bernard P. Jr. (incumbent); Kapa‘a; carvalhob003@hawaii.rr.com.
• COWDEN, Felicia (incumbent); Kīlauea; feliciacowden@gmail.com; feliciacowden.com.
• CUMMINGS, Sherri; Līhuʻe; malamaanahola.sc@gmail.com.
• DECOSTA, Billy D. (incumbent); Kōloa; billyndrena@hawaii.rr.com.
• DES, Ana Mo; Kōloa; voteanamodes@gmail.com.
• HOLLAND, Fern Anuenue; Kapa‘a; votefern@gmail.com; votefern.com.
• KAGAWA, Ross (incumbent); Līhuʻe; kagawar004@hawaii.rr.com.
• KANESHIRO, Arryl J.; Līhuʻe; arrylkaneshiro@gmail.com.
• KEAHIOLALO, W. Butch; Līhuʻe; butchkeahiolalo@gmail.com.
• KUALII, KipuKai (incumbent); Anahola; kipukai.kualii@gmail.com.
• LINDNER, Jeffrey; Anahola; lindnerji@gmail.com.
• NELSON, Jacquelyn “Jakki”; Anahola; nelson5599@twc.com.
• RAPOZO, Mel (incumbent); Kapa‘a; melrapozo@gmail.com; www.melforcouncil.org.
• THOMAS, Bart; Kōloa; Bart@voteforbartkauai.com.
• YAGO, Clint A. Sr.; Līhuʻe; clintsr54@gmail.com.

Rajan Baliaris-Salvi, Jeremy Haupt, Laura Lindsey, Lawaia Naihe and Sonny Sousa also filed to run run for council seats in this year’s primaries but did not return their papers by the required early June deadline.

More 2024 election coverage coming next week: Kaua‘i Now will publish a candidate list June 23 of those seeking state and federal offices this year.