She was the lone woman on the council for the past two years, but will be joined by first-time candidate Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho, a prosecuting attorney. Iseri-Carvalho, the only newcomer on the seven-member council, ousted incumbent Joe Munechika. She has said her priorities include attacking the island's crystal methamphetamine problem with prevention, enforcement and treatment programs.

Kaua'i holds nonpartisan council elections, with the top seven voter-getters elected.

Yukimura has served a total of 10 years on the council and was mayor from 1988 to 1994. Last night she denied harboring aspirations to return to the top spot, but sounded a lot like a potential mayoral candidate.

"I did not re-enter the political arena two years ago with the intent of running for mayor. I wanted to do some work that I thought was badly needed and I wanted to give the mayor (Bryan Baptiste) support," she said.

Yukimura said she has backed some of Baptiste's initiatives, but has problems with his progress in solid-waste issues, planning and following the civil service process in filling positions. She said that if those things don't improve, she would not rule out a race against Baptiste in 2006.

"I haven't made any decision. It's not my goal to be mayor. But it is my goal to have this island prosper," she said.

Council renegade Mel Rapozo, a private investigator and former police officer, joined the council's most experienced member, Kaipo Asing, a retired telephone company supervisor, near the top of the polling. Retired hotelier Jay Furfaro, restaurateur Jimmy Tokioka, and Daryl Kaneshiro, whose campaign image is that of a cowboy, fill out the 2005-2006 council.

Voters approved a controversial Kaua'i charter amendment that would roll back property taxes for owner-occupants. Under the amendment, homeowners who have lived in their homes since at least June 30, 1999, would see their property taxes rolled back to what they paid in the 1998-99 fiscal year. Owner-occupants who moved into their homes after that date would see their tax set at what they paid in the year they bought the home.

Any increases would be capped at 2 percent per year or the retirement compensation adjustment used by the Social Security Administration, whichever is less.