Maui Pono Network
2026 Ohana Candidates
The Maui Pono Network provides Maui County voters with important information about local candidates in the November 3, 2026 General Election. We made being an Educated Voter easy by compiling data on candidates' voting records, civic engagements, and campaign funding.
Introducing the 2026 Ohana Candidates!
Kelly King
South Maui
Kelly King Interview Timeline: INTRO: 0:01 Question # 1 1:16 "Since you have been away from the Council for a few years, can you gives us a little insights as to what you have been doing and what you have been involved with in the past few years?" Question # 2 4:25 "What do you think the County Council, with its limited powers, can do to help residents cope with Hawaii's overall cost of living?" # 3 8:16 "Your campaign emphasizes restoring trust and accountability, so what County Council practices would you change so residents can see who is influencing major land use and budget decisions?" # 4 12:24 "You consider yourself "pro-local business", so as a Council member what do you think can be done for local businesses?" # 5 15:05 "We know you have testified in support of having certain areas set aside as "green space" so that they can function as wetlands during floods, so if elected to the Council but the Community Plan did not include all these areas, are there steps that you think the Council could take to give us a better infrastructure in South Maui, West Maui, and other places that flood?" # 6 20:37 "What is your position on how to balance short term rentals in South Maui, long term housing, visitor industry, jobs and County tax revenue, and how do you see this all working together?" # 7 27:34 "What do you feel were your strengths and talents in your last term as a County Council member and how did you utilize them, and what would you like to improve as a County Council member this time? # 8 34:06 "The administration is moving forward to acquire a number of private water systems and asking the state to become involved with West Maui, East Maui, Upcountry and Nā Wai ‘Ehā. Have you tracked this shift from the old plantation days to a more unified utility for the County and do you support this, and what other due diligence might need to be performed, and if you were a Councilperson what would you be looking for as these kinds of acquisitions are being reviewed for Council approval?" # 9 39:05 "Concerns for the voters and residents in South Maui are reliable water, and wastewater, roads and evacuation planning. Which of these would be your top budget priority in your first year and how would you prioritize and pay for it?" # 10 42:06 "What motivates you to do the hard work of running for this seat again?" # 11 47:08 "How prepared is Maui County for our next natural disaster and what more can our government, especially on the County Council level do to improve our preparation and response?" # 12 52:03 "If elected, what measurable results should South Maui voters expect by the end of this first term? CLOSING: 54:02
Bobby Pahia
Upcountry seat
Bobby Pahia Interview Timeline INTRO: 0:01 Question #1a 0:45 "Can you talk about your background and why you feel you have the qualifications to run for this important legislative position in our County?" 1b 3:46 "Can you give am overview of the committees and different ways you have served to support your vision of community?" # 2a 5:18 "You have been looked to as a teacher in the community for many years, especially regarding agriculture and have held leadership posts in both state and County that have. What boards and committees have you helped advise to get things done?" 2b 7:47 "Have you been urged on to run for office by other who have seen you do a lot of good for Hawaii in the past?" # 3a 9:14 "What do you think about the "food security" or "food insecurity" situation on Maui and what does the County Council need to do to provide more food security to the people of Maui?" 3b 13:31 "You mentioned a partnership with Mahi Pono Farms. Do you believe that should be a public or private partnership or something that the county should put funds into and would that entail leasing land from Mahi Pono Farms that is currently not being farmed?" # 4a 15:31 "What can Maui do to promote farming and motivate farmers?" 4b 20:10 "Have you been impacted by the Kona Low and are you gathering enough water to meet the demands of your farm?" 4 c 22:48 "Is it difficult for farmers to lease land?" # 5a 24:16 "If elected to the Council, you and your fellow Council members could do for needed issues like housing, safe spaces for houseless to park while getting on their feet again, creating laws for funding in the budget to get results of some of these issues including affordable long term housing in safe areas? What do you think you could bring to that discussion?" 5b 26:22 "Do you think there are places that we should acquire to make it possible to start a model program for famers to be able live on or near their land?" # 6a 28:03 "What are your ideas on the watersheds and how to protect them, and how would you inform your Maui County Council peers about the need for watershed protection?" 6b 29:24 "How do you feel about current land use, including deforested ranchland which are water intensive operations and how can we keep the ranchers happy and still protect our watersheds? 6c 30:13 "Can you explain what the concept of sustainable "silvopastures"? " # 7a 31:09 "Are you concerned about the influence of "Big Money" in County elections particularly coming from Super PACs like the Carpenter's Union and other entities outside of Maui both who invest heavily in candidates with digital ads and media using videos, Youtube, radio and emails, and how do they choose who they will endorse?" 7b 37:56 "How do we get the elders and the youth to participate in civic decisions?" # 8a 39:00 "When we have the blessing of so much rain and water, what do you think the Council could and should do to upgrade drainage polices to keep people safe in areas like Kihei Wailuku and other places where water can come through?" 8b 43:10 "Can you speak about wastewater from treatment areas where currently the waste is injected into the ocean and would there be a way of better utilizing water for places that have never gotten hooked up to a common water treatment system like in Upcountry?" # 9a 44:45 "Can you tell us how you differentiate yourself from the opponents for this sea, for what are your strengths that will help you to win this race?" 9b 49:09 "What do you think is your biggest obstacle in gaining this County Council seat?" # 10 50.29 "If you were a Council member when the vote came up on the controversial Wailea 670 and what would be or is your response to this?" CLOSING: 54:13
Tamara Paltin
West Maui seat
Tamara Paltin INterview Timeline: INTRO: : 0:01 Question# 1 1:50 "Being a member of the County Council is a very challenging and time consuming position, and as a "public servant" you are also involved in a lot of community groups like Lahaina Recovery. How did you decide to run again, what is your motivation, what "gets you out of bed", and what keeps you going? # 2 2:57 "What do you think is the most important thing in your district that you are hearing now that the Council needs to address and do you have a vision of how it should be addressed?" # 3a 7:05 "As a Council member where do you believe that the Council fell short before and after the fire, and what have you done to hold the administration accountable.?" b 14:03 "What is the timeline in place for potentially having two battalion fired chiefs?" c 15:58 "Is there a timeline on the ingress and egress [of Lahaina] or is it just evolving?" # 4 18:04 "As a Council member, how do you do so well balancing asking questions and answering with detail and intelligence, listening to constituents, and being both magnanimous and unbiased when people bring up issues? And, if elected again, what would you like to improve in the upcoming session? # 5 28:00 "Are there things you support or oppose, or want to see tweaked about Maui County's acquisition of the west Maui water systems from West Maui lands and Maui Land and Pine, and how do you think that would or would not help?" # 6 39:36 "What would you change about the County's permitting and rebuilding process so residents can build safely and without delay?" b 44:05 "Do you believe the responsibility is with the Public Works or the Planning Department for the education of the process for home owners so they do not have to hire consultants, and can the County Council affect some positive change on that?" # 7 47:43 "You do a lot of community organizing getting people together who have good ideas, but in your job as a Council member do you feel limited on what you can actually enact and how do you deal with that when it might now be in your jurisdiction as being a Council member?" # 8 50:35 "Regarding the Paia Area proposal, does the Council have any appetite to focus more on housing and less on commercial endeavors?" CLOSING: 53:07
Shane Sinenci
East Maui
Shane Sinenci Interview Timeline. INTRO: 0:01 Question #1 0:50 "What areas does East Maui District 1 entail?" # 2 2:16 "What is on your plate and on your wish list for this next term and how would you resolve the issue?" # 3 7:41 "What kind of support do you think could be developed to bring parks and social services together to improve situations we currently have, for instances like homeless people who gravitate to the parks for bathrooms, BBQ pits and trash cans?" # 4 14:18 "On Bill 9 and Bill 88, you voted to create the #3 and #4 hotel districts to phase out short-term, transient vacation rentals in county apartment zone districts and why did you conclude that creating a hotel zoning pathway was necessary?" # 5 21:03 "As a Council member, do you think it will be important to make sure the water acquisition agreements are structured so that the Kuleana Water Rights are protected and how are you going to make sure that is done?" # 6 23:59 "What do you think the County could do to prepare our committees to be present during the Emergency Response and to move forward implementing our climate actions and resiliency plan?" # 7 30:40 "Regarding the 2027 fiscal year's budget, you voted against a proposal to limit the Mayor's expenditures to half of the operating appro0priations until after the next administration takes place, giving more flexibility to the Executive Branch and less to the Council and oversight. What guard rails would you support to prevent a potentially outgoing administration from making major financial commitments while also allowing it to respond to emergencies?" # 8 38:00 ""Do you have a vision for how we can bring all the different entities together to talk about what can be done better and have an action plan the community could jump into?" # 9 44:16 "If elected, this will be your 5th term. What are your priorities for that term and what would you really focus on trying to accomplish?" # 10 49:10 "By the end of your next term you do you want to be most remembered by the East Maui voters?" # 11 52:07 "You volunteered to be on the committee where people talk about that parks really need some help. Do you think that we need a different structure like "Adopt-a-Park" so parks get that TLC that might be harder for an overstretched County Park Service to provide?" # 12 56:00 "What do you think the Council could do to promote input and engagement between our community and our Park Service, "Park Maui" or for dunes and wetlands?" # 13 59:27 "What was the greatest accomplishment so far regarding the Charter Amendment that you introduced to create the East Maui Water Authority which was approved by the voters, and what does it still need to be effective?" CLOSING: 1:03:34
Carol Lee
Kamekona
Kahului seat
Carol Lee Kamekona: Interview Timeline: INTRO: 0:31 # 1 a 2:09 "What do you see to be the most pressing issue f acing the Kahului district and what are your plans to do something about it?? b 3:10 "Can you speak to something in particular?" # 2a 4:00 "What would you do to implement the "climate action resiliency plan" ?" b "What are your thoughts to fund that plan?" # 3 7:01 "What are the top two priorities on your platform and what will do in your first 100 days to address each?" # 4 9:43 "If you were a Council member what do you think the Council could do to make sure that funds in Lahaina get the housing and water support they need to rebuild their community with bills and policies?" # 5a 12:26 "Do you have ideas for specific legislation that you would support or sponsor to try and address the situation?" b 16:50 "Would you support a shelter in South Maui?" # 6 17:05 "What would you do to address the impending crisis of FEMA and fire-survivor housing expiration in your first or possible subsequent terms as kapuna and others scramble to look for housing?" # 7 26:12 "Tell us about your campaign support, have you sought out or have been supported or endorsed by any group?" # 8 21:08 "what are the most important "planks" or "items" on your platform?" # 9 22:12 "What is something that most people don't know about you but whish they did?" # 10 26:12 "As a beneficiary of Hawaiian homelands did you have a chance to review that proposal, and what would be your process for determining if this was a good or bad idea, or if the idea needed more scrutiny?" # 11 29:46 "Other than the great idea of planting trees, what other kinds of measures and funding could you support to go about bringing relief to various groups of people from the intense heat in some areas of Maui?" # 12 32:42 " As the County's budget grows past the one billion dollar mark, how would you ensure transparency and accountability that appropriated funds go to the various departments, special projects, season concerns, capital improvements, etc.? # 13 35:35 "How would you have voted on the two controversial issues of Bill 9, short term rentals as well as H3 and H4 zoning?" # 14 41:23 "What could the County Council do to address the issues of cesspools and their upgrade and replacement and the challenge of cost and labor to accomplish that?" # 15 45:16 "How will you help kapuna and special needs groups with services, rentals and rental caps?" # 16 49:02 "What three priorities in the Kahului district would you make sure were included in the budget this year?" # 17 55:46 "If you were on the Council how would you help the administration do a better job at compliance to county laws and ordinances regarding waste, fraud, etc.?" # 18 1:00:16 "If elected have you thought of what Council committee or committees you would feel most qualified to serve on as Chair or Vice Chair or a voting member?" CLOSING 1:01:19
Join concerned citizens who have had enough of billionaires and powerful special interests pouring massive amounts of money into our elections to influence policy and legislation that serves their greed instead of the people.
Vote for the Ohana Candidates. MPN's local community based political action committee have spent over 1,000 hours researching candidates on voting records, testimonies, community engagement, and in depth interviews. We have done our due diligence, to select the best representatives for the people and environment, now it is up to your vote.
Support ethics, accountability, and government that represents the community — not developers and corporate interests.Empowering Maui through grassroots leadership and a commitment to Pono governance.
Maui House Representative, District 14 (Lahaina, Maalaea, Waihee and Waiehu).
Pāʻele Kiakona
Paele Kiakona INterview Timeline INTRO: 0:01 Question #1 0:30 "What areas does District 14 include?" # 2 1:27 "Walking through the neighborhoods like you have been doing, what do you think is the top thing that people in this district want someone to get done in the legislation?" # 3a 3:33 "At the State level, what would you propose to help resolve or alleviate our housing crisis on Maui?" 3b 5:35 "Will you speak to some of the policies around our water designation?" 3c 8:41 "Would you support State subsidies to be able to make more of the R1 (recycled water storage) water storage and distribution infrastructure on a more equitable basis so its not just those who can pay to play? # 4 9:41 "As a Green Party candidate in the legislation that is dominated by Democrats, how would you build the alliances needed to pass legislation rather than just only advocate, and what specific actions would you take to build these alliances in the legislature?" # 5a 14:03 "Many people in your district will have to face expensive conversions over the next 20 to 30 years to upgrade cesspools to septic systems. Have you given any thought on how as a legislator you could work with other legislators from rural areas to make sure there are some subsidies or incentives because it is such an expensive process?" 5b 16:40 "Do you think the State legislature should encourage studies of alternatives that work as well as septic systems and that are more eco friendly?" # 6 18:57 "What are your thoughts on a State level wetland protection law?" # 7a 23:32 "One of the pillars of your campaign is based on greater accountability in leadership, so as a District 14 representative how are you going to be the "Best Rep" that District 14 has ever had, and what reforms are you going to introduce or support in the legislature?" 7b 26:21 "Do you feel transparency accountability and approachability has been lacking in the past in the community?" # 8 27:27 "Growing up and going to school here on Maui, do you have any thoughts on ways that the legislature could look at improving the educational system and the educational outcomes for our children?" # 9 32:18 "What are your thoughts on how we can better provide Mental Health services, drug treatment services and dual diagnosis services... because there are very few resources for people that have both issues? # 10a 38:42 "You mentioned you want to be more accountable to your constituents, so regarding legislative accountably, knowing the Green Party advocates for many reforms, what reforms specifically do you advocate for in the Hawaii House of Reps that will bring more accountability for your fellow law makers:" 10b 42:01 "In addition to campaign finance reform how do you feel about lobbying, and do you advocate reforms to the current lobbying structure in the legislature?" 10c 43:29 "What do you think about energy conversation for the island, i.e.. liquefied natural gas, and have you looked into this, and is this a good deal for us, or what else should be we doing and what would your policy be if you were voting in the legislature?" # 11 48:44 "Our dependence on tourism, which is a "extraction industry", meaning it is an industry that doesn't give back as much as it takes. What are your ideas for how this legislative can help to support diversification of the economy and diversity, or "circular economy., so that we don't create liabilities trying to solve a problems without creating more problems down the line?" # 12 55:32 "At the end of your two years as a District 14 Rep in the House, what do you want to be known for so voters can evaluate your success? CLOSING: 56:28
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