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Incumbents among leaders for Kauai County Council | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper
Updated at 7:43 p.m., Saturday, September 20, 2008

Incumbents among leaders for Kauai County Council

By Diana Leone
Kauaçi Advertiser Bureau

Early voting results show the four Kaua'i County Council incumbents — Bill "Kaipo" Asing, Tim Bynum, Jay Furfaro and Ron Kouchi — among the leaders in a 22-person battle for seven seats.

Others among top 14 vote-getters in early results include: Derek Kawakami, Daryl Kaneshiro, Dickie Chang, Lani Kawahara, KipuKai Kuali'i, Christobel Kealoha, Ron Agor, George Thronas Jr., Rhoda Libre and Bruce Pleas.

The make-up of the next Kaua'i County Council won't be decided until Nov. 4. All council seats are at-large, so every voter can vote for up to seven candidates. Voting for fewer is allowed, but voting for more than seven invalidates that voter's ballot.

The top 14 vote-getters will advance to the general election.

Because of the number of candidates, the lineup for the general election probably won't be clear until all the votes are in tonight. In some past years, a candidate who ranked 8th or 9th in votes received in the primary has garnered enough additional votes in the general election to win a seat.

For this year's primary 38,874 people are registered to vote on Kaua'i.

The candidates are:

  • Asing, 77, of Lihu'e, is a retired telephone company supervisor, council member for 24 years and appointed mayor of Kaua'i until Dec. 1.

  • Bynum, 54, of Kapa'a, is a family counselor and former community outreach worker who was elected in 2006.

  • Furfaro, 58, of Princeville, is a retired resort manager who has been on the council since 2002.

  • Lihu'e insurance salesman Ronald Kouchi, 50, was on the Council 1983-2002 and since 2006; he ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2002.

    Other apparent leaders are:

  • Lihu'e architect Ron Agor, 60, a member of state Board of Land and Natural Resources.

  • Lihu'e video production company owner Dick Chang, 49.

  • Koloa rancher Daryl Kaneshiro, 59, who was on the council 1998-2006 and as an appointed member since July.

  • Kapa'a library administrator Lani Kawahara, 42, a former community representative for state Sen. Gary Hooser.

  • Kapa'a grocery store chain manager Derek Kawakami, 31, a Kaua'i Island Utility Cooperative board member.

  • Retired deputy state attorney general Christobel Kealoha, 67, of Lihu'e.

  • Lihu'e economic development project coordinator Kipukai Kua-li'i, 46.

  • Lihu'e entertainer Rhoda Libre, 46.

  • Waimea surfboard maker and surf forecaster Bruce Pleas, 56.

  • Kapa'a hotel office manager George Thronas Jr., 29.

    The next mayor and Council will have to: deal with the Garden Island's landfill crisis and related recycling and waste-to-energy decisions; cope with the effects of high energy costs and declining tourism revenues; and balance development with preserving its sense of place.

    When local radio station broadcast live a Kaua'i Chamber of Commerce forum for Council candidates, many listeners calling in said they felt bringing "the aloha spirit" to county decision-making is important.

    Reach Diana Leone at dleone@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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