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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

SHIGEMOTO, Taylor H.

Party: Nonpartisan · Backing: Independent

Platform: Born-and-raised Kauaʻi banking professional with 25+ years in finance; filed for council in May 2026.

  • Born and raised on Kauaʻi; has spent 25+ years in banking and finance, currently employed with HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union on Kauaʻi — bringing a financial-services perspective to county budget, capital projects, and economic-development questions.
  • Filed nomination papers on May 22, 2026 for Kauaʻi County Council; The Garden Island published a dedicated profile article ('Taylor Shigemoto enters Kauaʻi County Council race') covering his entry into the field.
  • Expected to bring a data- and finance-oriented lens to county fiscal management, infrastructure funding, and housing investment questions; specific platform positions were not publicly indexed beyond his professional background as of the June 2026 review.
  • Voters should consult KKCR forum recordings and Garden Island candidate coverage for specific policy stances and priorities ahead of the August 8, 2026 primary.

Editorial summary: Taylor Shigemoto is a born-and-raised Kauaʻi banking professional with 25+ years of financial-services experience who filed for council in May 2026. His Garden Island profile is the primary source for his background. Specific policy positions were not yet published as of June 2026; voters should follow KKCR forums and local media for updates.

Key issues: County fiscal management, Housing affordability, Infrastructure funding, Economic development

Profile last reviewed: 2026-06-03

Other candidates in this race