Affordable housing was a top issue in the mayoral campaign, and Tavares and her opponent, Mayor Alan Arakawa, differed sharply on how best to create more units for local residents, who saw their home-buying prospects evaporate as Maui's real-estate prices soared in recent years.

Tavares is a strong supporter of a County Council proposal that would require hotel and housing developers to provide affordable units aimed at those earning 100 percent to 160 percent of the county's median income of $65,700 for a family of four.

But Arakawa and many build-ers say the measure would cripple the housing industry and would actually result in fewer affordable projects.

Tavares, 63, said her election win is a sign that voters are impatient with the county's attempts to address issues related to Maui's fast-paced growth.

"All the (developments) have been focused on the high end, and people are saying 'What about us? Our kids are leaving because they can't afford to buy a home here,' " said Tavares, who is serving her fifth term on the Maui County Council. "They want to see something positive that's geared toward working people."

During the campaign, Arakawa said his administration's collaborative approach to working with developers would generate more than 3,400 affordable housing units by 2008. But Tavares last night said the county must have a more forceful role in creating affordable housing, and that "we just can't leave it up to the developers."

"We're going to scrutinize (projects) a lot more than before," said Tavares, who also called for greater government efficiency. "The county can't continue to be part of the problem. It's taking too long to process permits."

Arakawa, 55, was considered a tireless and hands-on leader, although Tavares criticized him for often leaving the council and the community out of the policy-making process. The mayor said his campaign perhaps failed to adequately communicate to voters all the work his administration did during his term, but that the results of his efforts will be evident in years to come.

"Nobody ever said our administration was a lazy administration and that we don't work hard. History will show we've done our job," he said.

Tavares is the daughter of the late Hannibal Tavares, who was mayor of the county throughout the 1980s. Like her father, Tavares ran as a Republican before the county switched to nonpartisan elections in 2000. The former educator served as parks director under her father and then-Mayor Linda Lingle, now governor.

Heading into yesterday's election, the personable and well-spoken Tavares had gathered substantial momentum from her primary win and an endorsement from U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, Hawai'i's most revered Democrat.