LIHUE — Fern Anuenue Holland became the newest member of the Kauai County Council when the council was sworn in by Judge Randal Valenciano on “the first working day of December” at the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall.
The inauguration took place despite a challenge of the Kauai County Council race by Hawaii State Elections Commissioner Ralph Cushnie that is sitting at the Hawaii Supreme Court.
The challenge that was filed with the Hawaii Supreme Court on Nov. 25, with at least 30 other voters, alleges that “an overage did occur” during the 2024 General Election, and the overage caused a difference in the election results.
Holland, according to the final 2024 Elections Summary, finished in seventh place with 12,041 votes, edging out incumbent Council Member Ross Kagawa by 108 votes.
Mel Rapozo, finishing second in the council race with 14,403 votes, was confirmed as the council chair in a special pre-inauguration meeting held at the convention hall. Kipukai Kualii, tallying 12,276 votes, was named the council vice chair.
The trio are joined by former mayor Bernard P. Carvalho Jr. who was the top vote getter with 15,435 votes. Arryl Kaneshiro returns to the Kauai County Council after finishing in third place with 13,049 votes.
Incumbents Addison Bulosan and Felicia Cowden round out the seven council members.
During the pre-inauguration meeting, Jade Tanigawa was appointed as the county clerk, and Lyndon Yoshioka as the deputy county clerk.
Additionally, Rebecca Like was installed as the prosecuting attorney.
During the inaugural council meeting at the convention hall, Carvalho was named chair, and Cowden vice chair of the Public Works and Veterans Services Committee.
Holland chairs the Parks and Recreation/Transportation Committee with Kaneshiro as vice chair.
Bulosan and Carvalho are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Planning Committee, and Kualii and Bulosan head the Housing and Intergovernmental Relations Committee.
Cowden and Holland are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Public Safety and Human Services Committee, and Kaneshiro and Kualii will lead the Finance and Economic Development Committee.
Council Chair Rapozo and Vice Chair Kualii will lead the Committee of the Whole.
