Later this month, registered Hawaiʻi voters will begin receiving their mail-in ballots, and we strongly encourage all residents who can vote, to vote. Voting is a tool in our political toolkit that too many choose not to utilize – whether it’s because they are disillusioned, angry, or just too busy surviving.
However, if we want to see positive change in our community, one of the most powerful ways we can make this happen is by showing up, casting our ballots, and voting individuals of character into office who will represent the people and communities they serve with transparency and integrity.
If you have not already registered to vote, there is still time. Legal residents, 18 years or older, can register to vote right up to Election Day (August 8 for the primary).
Voting is one way to show that we care about our community and our ʻāina – and it is the only way that we can make sure that the people who are making the laws that govern Hawaiʻi are representing the needs and concerns of regular people – not just the wealthy, special interest groups, or lobbyists.
Strong Native Hawaiian Representation in This Year’s Election
Over 300 candidates filed to run in the 2026 Hawaiʻi election, and this year, representation from the Native Hawaiian community is impressive. A third of the all the candidates, about 90 individuals, identify as Native Hawaiian. Some are first time candidates younger than 40, who are leaders in their respective communities.
Of special note is the emergence this year of a new coalition called Moho ʻĀina which has adopted a standard of Hawaiian values and practices for Hawaiʻi politicians. It is not a political party but a hui of 13 political candidates.
Moho is a political candidate or representative, and ʻāina is the land or that which feeds. The members refer to themselves as moho ʻāina – candidates who have drafted strategies to make Hawaiʻi better in areas of education, housing, aloha ʻāina, agriculture, keiki and kūpuna care, healthcare and in the economy.
Some of their general objectives include decreasing the DHHL blood quantum requirement, demilitarization, changing place names (like Hawaiʻi Kai or Pearl City) back to their original names, reducing violence in communities, and reducing traffic fatalities. All of these issues have been raised before in politics but have only seen incremental – or no – improvements.
Nā Hoa Moho ʻĀina (friends of Moho ʻĀina), are a group of 11 additional candidates, some Native Hawaiian and some not, who align with the hui’s objectives and actions.
You can learn more about these candidates, and their objectives and values, at mohoaina.com.
OHA Trustee Candidates
The following is a summary of Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) Board of Trustee candidates. This is a prelude to a more comprehensive OHA Board of Trustees Candidate Survey that will be published in the August issue of Ka Wai Ola (circulated the last week of July) just ahead of the Primary Election.
This year, OHA has five trustee seats up for election: three At-Large seats, the Maui seat and the Oʻahu seat. The At-Large race is especially competitive, with 15 candidates (including all three incumbents) contending for the three seats.
Voters in the primary election will narrow the list down to six names for the general election ballot. The Maui and Oʻahu races will not be on the primary election ballot as there are only two candidates for each seat. These races will be decided in the General Election.
Below is a list of the candidates with some of the information that we could find about them online.
At-Large Trustee Candidates
Adrian (Kealiʻi) Akina
Based on Hawaiʻi Island, he is an IT Resource Teacher. His name is very similar to that of current OHA At-Large Trustee (William Kealiʻi Akina) who is based on Oʻahu and is not up for election this year.
Ikaika Anderson
Based on Oʻahu, he is a former Honolulu City Council member, was a 2022 candidate for Lt. Gov., and was nominated by Gov. Josh Green in 2022 as DHHL chair but later withdrew after rejection by the Senate Hawaiian Affairs Committee.
Karl Veto Baker
Based on Oʻahu, he is a kumu hula and musician, the CEO of Kuilei Consulting Inc., a development and consulting firm that has assisted OHA on prior projects, and has 38 years of experience as a mortgage banker.
Shelby Pikachu Billionaire
Based on Oʻahu, he is an independent video producer who covers community gatherings and a community advocate for the Waiʻanae Moku Kūpuna Council. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran with a degree in leadership.
Jackie Kahoʻokele Burke
Based on Oʻahu, she is an entrepreneur, artist, jewelry maker, musician, and consultant-planner. She is a member of the Kalihi-Pālama Hawaiian Civic Club and the Hawaiian Community Development Board.
Michelle (Mikala) Costello
No information available online.
Kanekoa (Koa) Crabbe
Based on Oʻahu, he is a self-employed subsistence fisherman and boat builder, and the vice chairperson of the Kakaʻako Makai Community Planning Advisory Council with the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority.
Brickwood Galuteria
Based on Oʻahu, he is a former Hawaiʻi State Senator (2008 – 2018), musician, recording artist, and the executive producer and host of the “Kūpuna Power” program. He is an incumbent who was elected as an OHA At-Large trustee in 2022.
Clifford K. Kauaula
No information available online.
Brendon Kaleiʻāina Lee
Based on Oʻahu, he is a former OHA At-Large Trustee (2018 – 2022), a retired professional surfer, advocate for Native Hawaiian issues, member of the Pearl Harbor Hawaiian Civic Club and former president of the Kamehameha Schools Alumni Association.
Philip (Kawika) Martin
No information available online.
R. Kūnani Nihipali Sr.
Based on Molokaʻi, he is a long-time community organizer who has held numerous leadership roles, He has been a grant writer, project director, educator, delegate and fundraiser. A retired police officer, he now farms to reestablish food and water security on Molokaʻi.
Kalena A. Parish
Based on Oʻahu, she is an award-winning, musician, executive director of the Kapena School of Music, president of the Hawaiʻi Academy of Recording Arts, a board member of the Hawaiʻi Songwriting Festival, and a real estate agent.
Keoni Souza
Based on Oʻahu, he is an award-winning musician, a member of the Hawaiian musical group Nā Hoa, and a real estate agent. He is an incumbent who was elected as an OHA At-Large trustee in 2022.
John Waiheʻe IV
Based on Oahu, he is the son of former Gov. John Waiheʻe. He has served on the Kahoʻolawe Island Reserve Commission and the Native Hawaiian Historic Preservation Council. He is an incumbent who was elected as an OHA At-Large trustee in 2000.
Maui Trustee Candidates
Keʻeaumoku Kapu
Based on Maui, he is the president of Nā ʻAikane o Maui, a community resource for the history of Lahaina, land title research, and traditional practices. He assists with cultural monitoring, Island Burial Councils and organized recovery efforts after the Lahaina fire.
Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey
Based on Maui, she is an award-winning recording artist, real estate broker, member of ʻAhahui Kaʻahumanu, and the Central Maui Hawaiian Civic Club. She is the incumbent and was elected as the OHA Maui trustee in 2012.
Oʻahu Trustee Candidates
Kalei Akaka
Based on Oʻahu, she is a granddaughter of the late U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Akaka. She has been a legislative researcher and aide, and previously worked in the middle school office at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama. She is the incumbent and was elected as the OHA Oʻahu trustee in 2018.
Hinaleimoana Wong
Based on Oʻahu, she is known in the community as “Kumu Hina.” She is the cultural ambassador for the Hawaiian Council, a cultural practitioner, kumu hula, teacher, researcher, writer, filmmaker, and advocate for Hawaiian language, cultural preservation, and māhū.
OHA will be hosting Board of Trustee candidate panels later in the election season to help voters make informed decisions about whom they want to vote for. Details will be available online or you can sign up to receive email announcements at oha.org/stay-connected.
Hot Primary Races Coming to Your District
Some races will be determined by the Primary Election this year. The two hot races are for the congressional D-2 and Lt. Governor seats in the August Primary Election.
While there are a number of candidates running for the congressional D-2 race, the two forerunners – and best-known contenders – are both running as democrats so only one will advance to the General Election ballot. Those candidates are incumbent U.S. Rep. Ed Case and challenger State Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole.
This year’s lieutenant governor race is wide open, as Sylvia Luke is on indefinite leave and will not be seeking reelection. Among the candidates vying for the position are two particularly strong, experienced individuals both of whom are running as democrats: State Rep. Della Au Belatti and Kauaʻi Mayor Derek Kawakami.
In addition, there are a handful of state representative and senate seats where the winners will be decided in the Primary Election because the candidates are running in the same party. If you live in any of these districts, be sure to vote in the primary so your choice will be counted. If you wait until the General Election, your preferred candidate may not even be on the ballot.
State Senator District 10 (Kaimukī, Kapahulu, Mōʻiliʻili)
- Les Ihara Jr. D (Incumbent)
- Jackson Sayama D
State Senator District 14 (Moanalua, ʻAiea, Fort Shafter)
- Donna Mercado Kim D (Incumbent)
- Christy Kikue MacPherson D
State Senator District 17 (Mililani Town, Wahiawā)
- Donovan Dela Cruz D (Incumbent)
- Nani Brown D
State Senator District 20 (ʻEwa Beach, Ocean Pointe)
- Kurt Fevella R (Incumbent)
- Rida Cabanilla Arakawa R
- Bob McDermott R
- Markus Owens D
State Senator District 25 (Kailua, Waimānalo)
- Chris Lee D (Incumbent)
- Bobby Silva D
State Rep. District 5 (Keaʻau, Mountain View, Volcano, Pāhala, Punaluʻu, Nāʻālehu, Hawaiian Ocean View)
- Jeanné Kapela D (Incumbent)
- Matt Kanealiʻi-Kleinfelder D
- Dalene McCormick R
State Rep. District 10 (Wailuku)
- Tyson Miyake D (Incumbent)
- Kiʻi Kahoʻohanohano D
- Travis Bumanglag R
State Rep. District 12 (Pukalani, Makawao)
- Kyle Yamashita D (Incumbent)
- Keoni Kuoha D
- Dan Johnson R
State Rep. District 14 (Lahaina)
- Elle Cochran R (Incumbent)
- Kanamu Balinbin D
- Sne Patel D
- Ashley Olson D
- Pāʻele Kiakona G
State Rep. District 19 (ʻĀina Haina, Niu Valley)
- Mark Jun Hashem D (Incumbent)
- Kahi Pacarro D
State Rep. District 21 (Pālolo Valley, Wilhelmina Rise)
- Ranell Asuega-Fualaau D
- Angie Knight D
- Jake Takaya Morrow D
- Andrew Phomsouvanh D
- Derek Turbin D
State Rep. District 26 (Makiki, Punchbowl)
- Nathan Kenichi Char D
- Janel Fujinaka D
- Arjuna Heim D
- Ian Ross D
- Robin (Robyn) McCreary R
- Tony Silva R
State Rep. District 28 (Sand Island, Chinatown)
- Michael (Cov) Ratcliffe D (Incumbent)
- Reno Abihai D
- Nadia Alves D
- Ernest Caravalho D
- Anthony (Tony) Nagatani D
Remember – for mail-in voting it is critical to place your ballot in the mail one week prior to the August 8 Primary Election deadline to ensure that your vote is received and counted.
For more information about all 2026 candidates – who they are and their views on the issues that you care about – visit these online resources:
