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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. 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

RAPOZO, Cheree

Party: Nonpartisan · Backing: Independent

Platform: Fifth-generation Kauaʻi resident, licensed Realtor, and small-business owner running for council on community-stability themes.

  • Fifth-generation Kauaʻi resident with deep family roots on the island; a licensed Realtor — a professional role that gives her direct, operational familiarity with Kauaʻi's real estate market, housing affordability trends, and transient vacation rental policy.
  • Small-business owner who officially announced her council candidacy through a dedicated Garden Island article on June 1, 2026 — 'Cheree Rapozo announces candidacy for county council' — in which she described her motivation as protecting the community she grew up in.
  • Filed nomination papers on May 7, 2026; in her own words (per the Garden Island article), her fifth-generation Kauaʻi heritage motivates her candidacy — framed as 'not just a place on a map' but a multigenerational community worth protecting.

Editorial summary: Cheree Rapozo is a fifth-generation Kauaʻi Realtor and small-business owner who officially launched her 2026 council campaign via a June 1, 2026 Garden Island article. Her real-estate background positions her to address housing supply mechanics — zoning, TVR policy, market-rate rental, and homeownership access for long-term island families — but no specific policy positions beyond her candidacy motivation statement have been published.

Key issues: Housing affordability, TVR & rental policy, Homeownership for residents, Community stability

Profile last reviewed: 2026-06-03

Other candidates in this race