Daniel Paleka defeated Tiffany Edwards Hunt in the Hawaii County Council District 5 race.
Daniel Paleka defeated Tiffany Edwards Hunt in the Hawaii County Council District 5 race.
With all precincts reporting Tuesday, Paleka had 2,294 votes, or 53.2 percent. Edwards Hunt received 2,015 votes, or 46.7 percent.
Paleka, a Hawaiian Acres resident and former corrections officer, was leading 56 percent to 43.6 percent earlier in the night. But Edwards Hunt was unable to close the gap by 10:30 p.m. when a mere 279 votes remained between them.
“I’m feeling really, really good,” Paleka said.
“There are a lot of issues we got to address and I’m looking forward to addressing them.”
Edwards Hunt, who also resides in Hawaiian Acres and runs the Big Island Chronicle, said it was possible more votes could be tallied before the end of the night and she wasn’t ready to call it quits.
“It’s 10:30 and I’m clinging to hope,” she said.
“If I lost, so be it. I’m meant to be the storyteller. If not, I’m ready to work.”
Paleka will replace County Council member Zendo Kern who chose not to seek re-election.
He said he was ready to help Puna residents, including those impacted by the June 27 lava flow.
“We’re going to keep all options on the table,” Paleka said regarding access to affected areas, “and we’re going to push for whatever we can get for Puna.”
The lava flow has cut a path through the district, where it continues to threaten homes mauka and makai of Pahoa Village Road, which separates District 5 from District 4. It also threatens to cut the districts in half.
District 5 represents Kurtistown, Orchidland, Hawaiian Acres, Mountain View, parts of Keaau, Fern Acres, Eden Roc, Fern Forest, Pahoa mauka and Kalapana.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.