[ NEIGHBOR ISLAND COUNTIES ]
GARY T. KUBOTA / GKUBOTA@STARBULLETIN.COM
New Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa looked last night at early returns showing him behind. Arakawa upset incumbent James "Kimo" Apana.
Councilman edges Kauai and Maui voters elected new mayors yesterday, with the Valley Isle's incumbent upset in a close contest.
mayor of Maui
On Kauai, Baptiste wins the top post
By Gary T. Kubota and Anthony Sommer
tsommer@starbulletin.com | gkubota@starbulletin.comIn Maui County, Councilman Alan Arakawa beat incumbent James "Kimo" Apana by a 51.4 percent to 48.6 percent margin with all precincts counted. Voters also elected two first full-term County Council members.
Arakawa, 51, received endorsements from state Sen. Jan Buen and environmentalist Robert W. Parsons, who lost in the mayoral primary.
Arakawa, who lost to Apana four years ago, trailed in the early going but never felt he was going to lose.
"I'm happy with it," said Arakawa, projecting he would win in the final tally.
Parsons, who received more than 13 percent of the vote in the mayoral primary, accused Apana of a "long list of transgressions."
After Arakawa won, Parsons hugged him, saying, "This is the future of Maui County."
ANTHONY SOMMER / TSOMMER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Bryan Baptiste greeted supporters last night at a party to celebrate his winning the mayoralty of Kauai.
Maui Planning Commissioner Joseph Pontanilla was elected to the Kahului seat vacated by Arakawa. He defeated Diana Melehaulani Carroll, who has worked as chief of staff for state Sen. J. Kalani English.
Dennis "Danny" Mateo, 51, defeated former Molokai Main Street Chairwoman Beverly Pauole-Moore for the Council's seat on Molokai -- a position once occupied by the late Council Chairman Patrick Kawano, who died earlier this year.
In a swift and decisive victory on Kauai, Bryan Baptiste became the Garden Isle's mayor last night to the cheers of hundreds of supporters. He declared victory at 9:20 p.m.
"We won!" Baptiste shouted after reading the results, his supporters drowning out much of his victory speech.
About a half-hour later, opponent Ron Kouchi arrived at Baptiste's party, gave him a hug and a concession speech asking the entire county to support the winner. Baptiste took 53.7 percent of the vote vs. 46.4 percent for Kouchi.
Baptiste credited the ability to carry on his campaign to a last-minute, $45,000 contribution by a family member. He also received support last week from Mayor Maryanne Kusaka in the form of a letter targeted to Filipino voters.
Much of the battle in the general election was over the 3,800 votes won in September by Randal Valenciano, who finished third in the primary with strong support from Filipino voters.
In the Kauai County Council race, all three incumbents -- Kaipo Asing, Jimmy Tokioka and Daryl Kaneshiro -- were returned to office. Former Mayor JoAnn Yukimura and former Councilman Joe Munechika made successful comebacks, joined by two newcomers: hotel executive Jay Furfaro and private investigator Mel Rapozo.
On the Big Island, nurse Bob Jacobson, a Green Party member, held onto the 6th District Council seat (upper Puna-Kau-Puna) vacated by his wife, Julie, by a 53-vote margin.
Jacobson beat coffee grower Brenda Domondon. Council races are nonpartisan, but the 6th District seat has been notable as the only place in the state where a Green has held office.
At the other end of the island, in the 9th District (North and South Kohala), incumbent Leningrad Elarionoff held out against challenger Eddie Akana. Council Chairman Jimmy Arakaki, who faced no opposition, summed up the picture: "There's not much change."
Star-Bulletin reporter Rod Thompson
contributed to this report.
