Kauai County Sample Ballot & Voter Guide 2026

Mel Rapozo (7,580 votes) and Bernard Carvalho, Jr. (5,720) advance to the November 3, 2026 general election, per the Hawaii Office of Elections' official August 8 primary results. Open seat: Mayor Derek Kawakami is term-limited and won the August 8 Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. Kauai's top two always advance; a primary majority does not elect outright.

• Mel Rapozo▾

  Sitting Kauai County Council chair who has served 18 years on the council over two stints, per Kauai Now; before that a 13-year Kauai Police Department officer and 20-plus-year Hawaii Air National Guard member, per his campaign site.

  Priorities: Expand housing opportunities and improve infrastructure, per his campaign site · Public safety and homelessness solutions combining compassion with accountability, per his campaign site · Transparency, fiscal responsibility and measurable results, per his campaign site

  Campaign site →
• Bernard Carvalho, Jr.▾

  Sitting county councilmember and former Kauai mayor of 10 years, per Hawaii News Now and Kauai Now; endorsed by HGEA, per his campaign site.

  Priorities: Keeping Kauai families home, per Kauai Now · Responsible management, per his campaign site · Creating resilient communities, per his campaign site

  Campaign site →

The top 14 of 26 primary candidates advance to November 3, where the top seven vote-getters win the seven at-large seats, per Kauai Now and the Hawaii Office of Elections' official results. Listed in primary vote order; John Mattos took the 14th and final advancing position. The county prosecuting attorney is appointed on Kauai, not elected.

• Arryl KaneshiroIncumbent▾

  Sitting county councilmember who topped the 26-candidate field, one of only three incumbents seeking re-election, per Kauai Now.

  Priorities: Perpetuating Kauai's values and a thriving economy, per his campaign site

  Campaign site →
• Fern Anuenue HollandIncumbent▾

  Sitting county councilmember seeking re-election; Kapaa-raised community organizer with a background in environmental and agricultural advocacy, per Kauai Now.
• Todd Ozaki▾

  Executive assistant to the mayor in the Kauai Mayor's Office; born and raised on Kauai, a small business owner and youth coach, per Kauai Now and his campaign site.

  Priorities: Putting local families first, per Kauai Now · Roads and infrastructure, per Kauai Now · Creating trust with residents, per Kauai Now

  Campaign site →
• Michelle Kaleiohi Correa▾

  County of Kauai Parks and Recreation Department employee with 17 years of county service, per Kauai Now.

  Priorities: Strengthening the fight against drugs, per Kauai Now · Diversified agriculture and practical housing solutions, per Kauai Now · Traffic, transportation and compassionate homelessness response, per Kauai Now
• Addison BulosanIncumbent▾

  Sitting county councilmember and chair of the council's Planning Committee; entrepreneur and community organizer, per Kauai Now and his campaign site.

  Priorities: Streamline permitting and support ADUs, tiny homes and town-core redevelopment, per his campaign site · County procurement supporting locally owned businesses, per his campaign site · Zero waste, renewable energy and the county Climate Action Plan, per his campaign site

  Campaign site →
• Taylor Shigemoto▾

  Kauai-born candidate with a career in banking and credit unions, per his campaign site; runs on a Kauai First motto.

  Priorities: Housing availability, affordability and houselessness, per his campaign site · The Kekaha Landfill's limited remaining lifespan and siting an alternative, per his campaign site · Roads, sewer, parks and job creation, per his campaign site

  Campaign site →
• Paul Applegate▾

  Retired Kauai Police Department captain with more than two decades at KPD and a U.S. Army Reserve veteran; served as incident commander during Hurricane Lane, major floods and the COVID-19 pandemic, per his campaign site and Kauai Now.

  Priorities: Affordable and workforce housing through well-planned development, per his campaign site · Self-sufficient agriculture to strengthen food security, per his campaign site · Public safety, emergency preparedness and modern sewer and solid-waste systems, per his campaign site

  Campaign site →
• Billy DeCosta▾

  Former county councilmember and former high school teacher, per Kauai Now.

  Priorities: Expanding opportunities for the next generation, per Kauai Now · Ensuring Kauai families can work, live and thrive on island, per Kauai Now
• Dane Smith▾

  Recently retired Kauai Fire Department captain with 25 years of service, now project manager for The Hanalei Initiative's workforce-housing development, per his campaign site and Kauai Now.

  Priorities: Affordable housing and supporting infrastructure, per his campaign site · Traffic solutions, including the East Kauai Mobility Hub project, per his campaign site · Managing visitor impact, building on the Haena State Park access model, per his campaign site

  Campaign site →
• Mike Coots▾

  Kilauea photographer and small-business owner with an internationally recognized photography career and ocean-conservation advocacy, per Kauai Now and his campaign site.

  Priorities: Push for a housing emergency declaration; tiny homes and pre-approved package homes on ag land, per his campaign site · Solve the Kekaha landfill crisis via reclamation and countywide curbside recycling, per his campaign site · A tourism carrying-capacity study and an adolescent drug treatment center on island, per his campaign site

  Campaign site →
• Umi Martin▾

  Kekaha farmer and owner of Umi's Store in Waimea; a former substitute teacher who has served on agriculture-related boards at county, state and federal levels, per his campaign site and Kauai Now.

  Priorities: Housing affordability and workforce housing for local families, per his campaign site · Recycling expansion and long-term landfill planning, per his campaign site · Cesspool-to-sewer conversion with manageable costs for residents, per his campaign site

  Campaign site →
• Cheree Rapozo▾

  Real estate agent who campaigns on open communication, responsible budgeting and community engagement, per Kauai Now.

  Priorities: Healthcare, mental health and social service resources, per Kauai Now · Responsible budgeting, per Kauai Now · Protecting productive agricultural lands, per Kauai Now
• Keola Kaiminaauao▾

  Kauai native whose stated priorities center on listening to and amplifying residents' voices, per Kauai Now.
• John Mattos▾

  U.S. Navy veteran and former firefighter and EMT at the Pacific Missile Range Facility, per Kauai Now; he has pledged to give half his council salary to a local community organization if elected.

  Priorities: Financial literacy for residents, per Kauai Now · Incentives for farmers, per Kauai Now · Responsible leadership, per Kauai Now
• 6 more — see your exact ballot →

• Nelson Mukai▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.

• Mel Rapozo▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.

• Felicia Cowden▾

  We haven’t hand-verified this candidate’s profile yet. Enter your ZIP above to see this race on your exact ballot, and cross-check candidates with the official election office linked at the bottom of this page.