Wendy Botelho
Hawaiʻi County Council District 2 - Downtown Hilo
Candidate Questionnaire Status: RESPONDED
Wendy Botelho completed the HAA Election Center 2026 Candidate Survey. Her response shows support for humane treatment, balanced prevention and enforcement, spay/neuter access, public accountability, and community partnership. HAA rates her as Partially Aligned because her response indicates Limited Familiarity with TNR and other humane community cat management programs and selected Moderate Role, rather than Major Role, for managed community cat programs.
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.
1. HAA Candidate Snapshot
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2. HAA Assessment
Managed Cat Policy Alignment: Partially Aligned
Wendy Botelho’s survey response demonstrates support for humane animal policy, spay/neuter access, accountability, and community partnership. She rated humane treatment as Very Important, strongly supports expanded access to low-cost or free spay/neuter services, rated the One Health perspective as Very Important, strongly agrees that government-funded programs should demonstrate measurable outcomes and public accountability, and believes community organizations and volunteers should play a Major Role in helping address county challenges.
HAA rates Botelho as Partially Aligned because her response is supportive in several areas, but less clear on the central managed-cat policy question. She indicated Limited Familiarity with Trap-Neuter-Return and other humane community cat management programs, and she selected Moderate Role, rather than Major Role, for managed community cat programs in Hawaiʻi County.
This distinction matters because HAA’s Coexistence Framework is built on moving Hawaiʻi County away from unmanaged cat populations and toward structured, humane, accountable management. Managed community cat programs are not the entire solution, but they are a core part of effective cat population management when paired with spay/neuter access, responsible caretakers, adoption pathways, public accountability, and protections for sensitive wildlife areas.
HAA views Botelho’s response as promising but incomplete. Her answers show support for humane treatment, spay/neuter access, accountability, and community partnership. However, additional clarification is needed on TNR familiarity, support for managed community cat programs, and alignment with the broader HAA Coexistence Framework.
HAA Takeaway
Wendy Botelho supports humane treatment, balanced prevention and enforcement, spay/neuter access, accountability, and community partnership, but more clarification is needed on TNR familiarity, support for managed community cat programs, and alignment with the Coexistence Framework.
Overall assessment: Partially Aligned — Needs clarification on managed cat policy.
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