LIHU‘E — The 2022 election season is underway.
Thirty Kauaians announced campaigns for county or state office when the candidate filing deadline passed Tuesday afternoon.
All candidates reported by the County of Kaua‘i Office of the County Clerk Elections Division are listed below.
U.S. Rep. Kaiali‘i Kahele, whose second congressional district includes Kaua‘i, Ni‘ihau, the Neighbor Islands and rural O‘ahu, filed his candidacy for governor on Monday.
Where applicable, party affilliations are listed in parenthesis.
State Senator, District 8
Kaua‘i and Ni‘ihau. The winner is elected to a four-year term.
w Ronald Kouchi (Democrat, incumbent)
w Ana Mo Des (Republican)
w Kapana Thronas-Kaho‘onei (Aloha ‘Aina)
State Representative,
District 15
Contains the North Shore and portions of the Eastside. The winner is elected to a two-year term.
w Nadine K. Nakamura (Democrat, incumbent)
w Greg Bentley (Republican)
State Representative,
District 16
Contains the Eastside and portions of the South Shore. The winner is elected to a two-year term.
w James Kunane Tokioka (Democrat, incumbent)
w Steve Yoder (Republican)
State Representative,
District 17
Contains Ni‘ihau, the Westside and portions of the South Shore. The winner is elected to a two-year term.
w Daynette “Dee” Morikawa (Democrat, incumbent)
w Michael D. Wilson (Republican)
Mayor
Kaua‘i County’s mayoral and council elections are non-partisan. The winner is elected to a four-year term.
w Derek S.K. Kawakami (incumbent)
w Megeso-William Denis
w Mitch McPeek
w Michael Roven Poai
Councilmember
The seven winners are elected to two-year terms.
Five councilmembers have filed for re-election. Council Chair Arryl Kaneshiro and Council Vice Chair Mason K. Chock ar ineligible to run for reelection due to the rule prohibiting councilmembers to serve more than two consecutive two-year terms. The top 14 candidates in the primary election will qualify for the November general election.
w Addison Bulosan
w Bernard Carvalho (incumbent)
w Felicia Cowden (incumbent)
w Billy DeCosta (incumbent)
w Luke A. Evslin (incumbent)
w Fern Anuenue Holland
w Rosemarie Jauch
w Ross K. Kagawa
w KipuKai Kuali‘i (incumbent)
w James Robert Langta
w Jeffrey Lindner
w Lila Balmores Metzger
w Jakki Nelson
w Mel Rapozo
w Roy Saito
w Rachel M. Secretario
w Shirley Simbre-Medeiros
The Garden Island plans to submit a candidate questionnaire to each candidate.
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Scott Yunker, reporter, can be reached at 245-0437 or syunker@thegardenisland.com.
