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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. As of the May 2026 official filing snapshot, 27 candidates filed for the race; Bart Thomas withdrew after initially filing. 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

MONTEMAYOR, John

Party: Nonpartisan · Backing: Independent

Platform: Kauaʻi community candidate who filed for the 2026 County Council race on May 22, 2026.

  • Filed nomination papers for the 2026 Kauaʻi County Council race on May 22, 2026 — among the later candidates to enter the field; per the Office of the County Clerk, Elections Division, as reported in The Garden Island news briefs on May 27, 2026.
  • One of more than 26 candidates competing for four open at-large Kauaʻi County Council seats in the August 8, 2026 primary — the most simultaneous openings in recent Kauaʻi history, as three incumbents moved to the mayoral race and a fourth is term-limited.
  • No campaign website, policy platform, or public Q&A was indexed as of the June 2026 review; the May 27, 2026 Garden Island news brief confirming his filing remains the primary public sourcing record.

Editorial summary: John Montemayor filed for the 2026 Kauaʻi council race in late May 2026. No background information or policy positions are on the public record as of June 2026. Voters should follow KKCR election forums and The Garden Island and Civil Beat for candidate Q&As ahead of the August 8 primary.

Key issues: Housing affordability, Solid waste management, Tourism management, Infrastructure

Profile last reviewed: 2026-06-03

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