Three incumbent City Council members were poised to win their seats outright last night.

City Council chairwoman Barbara Marshall took a wide lead in a race against two challengers — retired bank manager Wilson Ho and retired small business owner Leigh Prentiss. Ho was a far second behind Marshall, incomplete results last night showed.

Marshall, 64, who is battling colon cancer, worked hard in the weeks leading up to the primaries to reassure voters that her illness wouldn't affect her ability to complete the tasks of her council office.

Though she acknowledged that she has missed some council hearings because of her illness, she also has said she is up to the job.

Last night, at a party with supporters, Marshall said her considerable lead was heartening and spoke of her six-year record on the council.

"My constituents know what I've done for them and how hard we've worked," she said.

Prentiss, who also went up against Marshall in 2004, had been campaigning from sunup to sundown for weeks for the council seat that represents Kailua, Kane'ohe, and Waimanalo.

The 61-year-old and her supporters were sign-waving and knocking on doors up until the primary.

Though incomplete results showed Prentiss far behind, her campaign hadn't given up last night.

"Anything can happen," said her campaign manager, John Brown.

Meanwhile, Ho had conceded the race to Marshall after the first results were released early in the evening.

"We worked hard, very, very hard," said Ho, 66. "I'm proud to lose to Barbara Marshall."

The primary contests for the 7th District (Aliamanu, Airport, Kalihi) and 9th District (Waipahu, Mililani, Makakilo) council seats also drew two challengers each, trying to unseat an incumbent.

In the 7th District race, Councilman Romy Cachola skated past his opposition early. He was up against Lynn Vasquez-Dela Cerna, a longtime community advocate, and Lillian Hong, a jewelry store owner.

Cachola, 70, has been on the council since 2000.

"It shows that hard work pays off," Cachola said of his wide lead.

Vasquez-Dela Cerna acknowledged that her candidacy was a long shot.

But she said the race was a learning experience.

"I had fun going into this race," she said, at a party with family and friends last night.

Councilman Nestor Garcia also took a comfortable lead from the outset in the race for the 9th District seat, which includes Waipahu, Mililani and Makakilo.

"It's always a humbling experience when people give you this kind of vote of confidence," he said. "I like to think my record speaks for itself."

Garcia was up against two political newcomers: Lance Widner, a 32-year-old First Hawaiian Bank assistant vice president, and Emil Svrcina, a 46-year-old computer specialist at the Cancer Research Center.

Candidates for City Council win outright in the primary election if they receive more than half of the vote.

Otherwise, the top two vote-getters advance to a runoff in the general election.

Four council members were not up for election this year.

Former councilman Duke Bainum was the lone contender for the 5th District seat, which represents Makiki, Manoa and Kapahulu and Palolo.

For the 1st District seat, Councilman Todd Apo will face Garry Smith, a retired Navy commander, in the general election on Nov. 4.