Meet The Candidates
The following Hawaiʻi County Council candidates completed the HAA Election Center 2026 Candidate Survey.
Each candidate page includes the candidate snapshot, HAA assessment, actual survey responses, and candidate information.
These pages are provided for issue-based voter education. They are not formal endorsements of any single candidate and should not be represented as such.
Please see each candidate’s page to review their full HAA assessment, actual survey responses, and candidate comments.
Voter Education Notice: HAA’s Election Center, Candidate Summary, candidate snapshots, and candidate pages are provided for issue-based voter education. They are based on candidate survey responses, follow-up clarification when provided, and HAA’s assessment of alignment with humane, accountable managed cat policy. They are not formal single-candidate endorsements and should not be represented as such.
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FULLY ALIGNED
Fully Aligned candidates gave responses that strongly support HAA’s managed cat policy approach. These candidates generally rated humane treatment and One Health as extremely important, strongly supported spay/neuter access, showed strong familiarity with TNR/TNRM or humane community cat management, supported a major role for managed community cat programs, and supported measurable outcomes and community partnership.
Ren Del Rosario - Hawaiʻi County Council District 1 - Hamakua
Heather Kimball - Hawaiʻi County Council District 1 - Hamakua
JoNelle Fukushima - Hawaiʻi County Council District 2 - Downtown Hilo
Jenn Kagiwada - Hawaiʻi County Council District 2 - Downtown Hilo
Cyd (Makanui) Hoffeld - Hawaiʻi County Council District 4 - Lower Puna
Eileen O'Hara - Hawaiʻi County Council District 4 - Lower Puna
Shannon Matson - Hawaiʻi County Council District 5 - Upper Puna
Ikaika Rodenhurst - Hawaiʻi County Council District 5 - Upper Puna
Justin Canelas - Hawaiʻi County Council District 6 - Ka'u
Kyle Kepano Jones - Hawaiʻi County Council District 6 - Ka'u
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Manu Powers - Hawaiʻi County Council District 7 - West Kona
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PARTIALLY ALIGNED
Partially Aligned candidates showed meaningful support for humane treatment, spay/neuter access, accountability, and community partnership, but their responses raised questions about TNR familiarity, the role of managed community cat programs, or support for the broader Coexistence Framework. These candidates may become more aligned after further conversation or clarification.
Blaine Bautista - Hawaiʻi County Council District 2 - Downtown Hilo
Wendy Botelho - Hawaiʻi County Council District 2 - Downtown Hilo
Kelton Chang - Hawaiʻi County Council District 3 - Keaukaha / Puna
Jason Masters - Hawaiʻi County Council District 6 - Ka'u
