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Neurodivergent-friendly voter information for Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi

STATE REPRESENTATIVE, DIST 14

About House District 14 — West Kauaʻi / Niʻihau

House District 14 covers the west side of Kauaʻi — Waimea, Kekaha, Hanapēpē, Port Allen, ʻEleʻele, and the neighboring island of Niʻihau — stretching from the dry, sun-drenched Waimea Canyon corridor to the southernmost tip of the island. The seat is open in 2026: long-time incumbent Rep. Dee Morikawa chose not to seek re-election after more than a decade representing the district. Five candidates filed by the June 2026 final deadline and are on the August 8 primary ballot. Key issues for the district include water rights and irrigation infrastructure serving the remaining agricultural lands; support for small farms and diversified agriculture on former plantation acreage; and workforce housing access for families priced out of the visitor-economy resort corridor.

Open seat — no incumbent running.

Primary date: 2026-08-08

KIAKONA, Pa'ele

Party: Green · Backing: Independent

Platform: Green Party candidate, HD14 (Lahaina/W. Maui); āina-centered solutions and Lahaina rebuild per votepaele.com.

  • Campaign site votepaele.com describes Pāʻele Kiakona as 'running as a Green Party candidate for Maui House Representative, District 14 (Lahaina, Maalaea, Waihee and Waiehu)' with a campaign rooted in 'āina centered solutions that serve our local people first.'
  • Votepaele.com states: 'Many of you may recognize me from being on the front lines of the recovery and rebuild of our hometown. Together, we stood up a grassroots movement, activated the community and pushed for policy change to create a more balanced, safe home' — Kiakona brings direct post-fire recovery organizing experience to his HD14 candidacy.
  • Votepaele.com notes that Kiakona's 'ohana comes from Mala Village and his grandmother shares stories of pre-commercialization Honoapi'ilani; his intergenerational, place-based perspective drives his policy vision of restoring Lahaina as a community-centered, ʻāina-grounded district.

Editorial summary: Green Party candidate, HD14 (Lahaina/W. Maui); āina-centered solutions and Lahaina rebuild per votepaele.com. Per https://votepaele.com.

Key issues: ʻĀina-centered governance, Lāhainā community rebuilding, Green Party / indigenous land stewardship, Grassroots organizing

Website: https://votepaele.com

Profile last reviewed: 2026-06-03

Other candidates in this race