Alameda to become Hawaii County mayor
Hawaii County has elected a new mayor.
Kimo Alameda, the former CEO of Bay Clinic, cruised to victory over incumbent Mitch Roth Tuesday evening in the nonpartisan runoff race to become the county’s chief executive. Alameda received 35,577 votes, or 53.7% of the valid votes, to Roth’s 30,717 votes or 46.3%.
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Long lines at polling places delayed initial returns to the public. The initial report has a time stamp of 11:40 p.m., but the returns didn’t appear online until about 12:30 a.m. today.
Alameda, a newcomer to elected politics served as the leader of the Fentanyl Task Force. He also was executive of the county’s Office of Aging under former mayors Harry Kim and the late Billy Kenoi. He received the endorsement of the two public workers unions, the Hawaii Government Employees Association and United Public Workers.
Both unions sought hazard pay for working during the pandemic, which Roth opposed on fiscal grounds. Arbitration is ongoing over hazard pay.
The District 5 County Council seat in Puna was won by incumbent Matt Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder in a rematch against Ikaika Rodenhurst. Kaneali‘i-Kleinfelder garnered 3,556 votes, or 57.25% of the valid vote, while Rodenhurst tallied 2,655 votes, or 42.75%
The only other contested council seat, District 9 in Kohala, will have a new occupant.
James Hustace, another electoral newcomer, defeated incumbent Cindy Evans. Hustace received 4,191 votes, or 56.8%, to Evans’ 3,192 votes, or 43.2%.
All incumbent Democrat Big Island state legislators — Sen. Dru Kanuha and Reps. Chris Todd, Greggor Ilagan, Jeanne Kapela, Kirstin Kahaloa, Nicole Lowen and David Tarnas — also won re-election on Tuesday.
See Thursday’s Tribune-Herald for full stories.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com
