Big Island, Kauai And Maui Counties - Neighbor Island Mayors and Councils
|
State Sen. Lorraine Inouye and County Council members Stacy Higa and Angel Pilago are among the eight candidates running for Big Island mayor in a nonincumbent primary race.
Billy Kenoi, a former deputy public defender and an executive assistant to outgoing Mayor Harry Kim, who has completed his two-term limit, is also a candidate.
Inouye, who served as mayor from 1990-1992 and on the Council from 1984-1990, has the most experience in elected office of any of the candidates.
She lost in a primary mayoral race in 1992 to Stephen Yamashiro.
Other mayoral candidates include former merchant seaman Joseph Barrozo Jr., the Rev. Sam Masilamoney of Waikoloa Family Church, Hilo resident Randy Riley and Jasper Moore, who is promoting the growth of produce gardens.
Five people are running in the nonincumbent primary race for the Council’s 4th District (Hilo) vacated by Councilman Higa, including one of his former aides, Andy Baclig.
Others include University of Hawaii student Jet Heng, retired restaurateur Marie Okutsu, community TV producer Wendell Ka’ehu’ae’a and county parks elderly program director Dennis (Fresh) Onishi.
Another nonincumbent race, this one in the 8th District (North Kona), has four candidates competing for a seat, including retired real estate broker and County Council aide Debbie Hecht.
Others include retired farmer Kelly Greenwell, real estate broker Joe Reynolds and real estate broker Tsing F. (Cannon) Young.
In the nonpartisan Big Island mayoral and Council races, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, provided none receives a majority of votes.
A candidate for mayor or Council would be declared the winner without having to advance to the general election if receiving 50 percent of votes in the primary plus one.
