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KAUAI COUNCILMEMBER

About the 2026 Kauaʻi County Council Race

The Kauaʻi County Council is a seven-member body elected at-large, meaning every registered voter on Kauaʻi picks up to seven of the candidates from the same island-wide ballot — the top seven vote-getters in the general election win seats. The Council has no sub-districts; all seats are island-wide. As of the June 9, 2026 official filing record, 27 candidates initially filed for the race; Bart Thomas withdrew after filing, leaving 26 confirmed on the primary ballot. Council Chair Mel Rapozo vacated his seat to run for mayor. Fern Holland is among the filed candidates who previously served on the Council. The at-large structure means voters choose among all island-wide candidates on a single ballot. Key issues candidates have addressed in campaign coverage include housing affordability, the role of short-term vacation rentals, tourism-driven development, and public-safety and infrastructure investment. Voters should consult candidate websites, KKCR Elections forum recordings, and Honolulu Civil Beat candidate Q&As for verifiable stances.

Open seat — no incumbent running.

Primary date: 2026-08-08

APPLEGATE, Paul Noboru

Party: Nonpartisan · Backing: Independent

Platform: Retired KPD Police Captain, Army Reserve veteran, and emergency incident commander; 'Safe Kauaʻi' campaign.

  • U.S. Army Reserve veteran and retired Kauaʻi Police Department Police Captain — over two decades with KPD, leading investigations, patrol operations, administrative functions, and internal affairs.
  • Served as Emergency Management Incident Commander during Hurricane Lane, the 2018 Wainiha floods, the 2019 flooding events, and the COVID-19 pandemic response on Kauaʻi. Former School Resource Officer, DARE instructor, and Civil Air Patrol Captain.
  • Campaign organized around the 'Safe Kauaʻi' platform — public safety, emergency preparedness, and accountable policing as his lead issues; took principled stands at KPD in defense of transparency and equity.
  • Believes 'real leadership means showing up, listening, and putting people first'; emphasizes community engagement, youth sports coaching, and church leadership as expressions of his community-rooted approach.
  • Dedicated to serving the people of Kauaʻi and Niʻihau with integrity and commitment; raised on Hawaiʻi Island but has spent the majority of his adult life on Kauaʻi.

Editorial summary: Paul Applegate brings a two-decade KPD career, Army Reserve service, and hands-on emergency management experience to the 2026 council race. His campaign site at PaulForKauai.com documents his 'Safe Kauaʻi' platform emphasizing public safety, transparency, and community accountability — grounded in his record as a police captain and COVID/hurricane incident commander.

Key issues: Public safety, Emergency preparedness, Policing transparency, Community accountability, Youth programs

Website: https://www.PaulForKauai.com

Profile last reviewed: 2026-06-03

Other candidates in this race