Eileen O'Hara

Hawaiʻi County Council District 4 - Lower Puna

Candidate Questionnaire Status: RESPONDED

Eileen O’Hara completed the HAA Election Center 2026 Candidate Survey, expressing strong support for humane treatment, prevention and education, expanded spay/neuter access, TNR, managed community cat programs, One Health, public accountability, and community partnership.

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

 

2.  HAA Assessment

Managed Cat Policy Alignment: Fully Aligned

Eileen O’Hara’s survey response demonstrates strong support for humane, managed community cat policy.

She rated humane treatment and the One Health perspective as extremely important; strongly supports expanded access to low-cost or free spay/neuter services; is very familiar with TNR; and believes managed community cat programs should play a major role in Hawaiʻi County.

Her leadership responses emphasize constituent concerns, public health and safety, community partnerships, scientific evidence, collaboration, community input, and consideration of unintended consequences. She also supports seeking additional information and beginning with small pilot projects that can be evaluated before broader implementation.

O’Hara strongly agrees that government-funded programs should demonstrate measurable outcomes and public accountability. She also believes community organizations and volunteers should play a major role in addressing county challenges.

O’Hara was not serving on the County Council when Bill 51 was considered and therefore has no voting record on either the cat-feeding prohibition or the registered-caretaker amendment.

HAA views her stated positions as strongly aligned with the HAA Coexistence Framework, Conservation Science Compliance Standard, and One Health Alignment Standard.

HAA Takeaway

Eileen O’Hara supports humane, managed cat policy through prevention, expanded spay/neuter access, TNR, managed community cat programs, scientific evidence, public accountability, and community partnership.

Overall assessment: Fully Aligned with Managed Cat Policy.

 

3.  Candidate Survey Response

The following presents the HAA Candidate Survey questions in their original order and wording.

Formatting has been standardized for readability.

The substance of the candidate’s responses has not been changed.

2026 Hawaiʻi County Council Candidate Survey

SECTION 1 - Leadership & Decision-Making

This section is intended to help voters better understand how you approach leadership, public service, and complex policy decisions.

Question 1.  When evaluating a complex public policy issue, which of the following factors do you typically consider?

Candidate selections

✔ Constituent concerns
☐ Scientific evidence and research
☐ Recommendations from government agencies
☐ Fiscal responsibility and cost effectiveness
☐ Long-term outcomes
✔ Public health and safety
☐ Environmental impacts
☐ Fairness to affected stakeholders
☐ Legal considerations
☐ Practical implementation and enforcement
✔ Community partnerships and volunteer involvement

Comment (optional)

 

Question 2.  When evaluating different viewpoints on a public issue, which of the following approaches do you typically find helpful?

Please select the three choices that best reflect your perspective.

Candidate selections

✔ Meet with affected residents
☐ Meet with subject-matter experts
☐ Review scientific research
☐ Request information from government agencies
☐ Hold community meetings
✔ Seek balanced solutions that consider multiple perspectives
☐ Visit affected locations firsthand
✔ Evaluate costs and budget impacts
☐ Review measurable outcomes from similar programs
☐ Consult nonprofit and community organizations

Comment (optional)

 

Question 3.  Which of the following qualities do you believe contribute to effective public policy?

Please select the three choices that best reflect your perspective.

Candidate selections

☐ Compassion
✔ Scientific evidence
☐ Fiscal responsibility
☐ Accountability
☐ Transparency
☐ Prevention
☐ Enforcement
✔ Collaboration
☐ Long-term thinking
✔ Community input
☐ Environmental stewardship
☐ Public health
☐ Practical results

Comment (optional)

 

Question 4.  When facing a difficult issue where there is no perfect solution, what approaches do you generally find most helpful?

Please select the three choices that best reflect your perspective.

Candidate selections

☐ Focus on immediate concerns
☐ Focus on long-term outcomes
☐ Follow existing policies and procedures
✔ Seek additional information and evidence
☐ Consult affected stakeholders
✔ Consider unintended consequences
☐ Seek balanced solutions among competing interests
✔ Start with a small pilot project and evaluate results
☐ Prioritize practical implementation
☐ Reassess and adjust based on outcomes

Comment (optional):

 

SECTION 2 - Humane Animal Management & Community Well-Being

This section is intended to help voters better understand your perspectives regarding animal management and related community issues.

Question 5.  How important is humane treatment when developing county animal policies?

✔ Extremely Important
☐ Very Important
☐ Moderately Important
☐ Slightly Important
☐ Not Important

Comment (optional)

 

Question 6.  Which statement best reflects your approach to addressing community challenges?

✔ Strongly favor prevention and education
☐ Generally favor prevention while supporting targeted enforcement
☐ Equal emphasis on prevention and enforcement
☐ Generally favor enforcement
☐ Strongly favor enforcement

Comment (optional)

 

Question 7.  Do you support expanded access to low-cost or free spay/neuter services?

✔ Strongly Support
☐ Support
☐ Neutral / Unsure
☐ Oppose
☐ Strongly Oppose

Comment (optional)

 

Question 8.  How familiar are you with Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and other humane community cat management programs?

✔ Very Familiar
☐ Familiar
☐ Somewhat Familiar
☐ Limited Familiarity
☐ Not Familiar

Comment (optional)

 

Question 9.  What role should managed community cat programs play in Hawaiʻi County?

✔ Major Role
☐ Moderate Role
☐ Limited Role
☐ No Role
☐ Unsure

Comment (optional)

 

SECTION 3 - Public Health, Accountability & Community Partnerships

This section is intended to help voters better understand how these issues fit within broader community priorities.

Question 10.  Human health, animal health, and environmental health are interconnected. How important should this perspective be when evaluating public policy?

✔ Extremely Important
☐ Very Important
☐ Moderately Important
☐ Slightly Important
☐ Not Important

Comment (optional)

 

Question 11.  Government-funded programs should demonstrate measurable outcomes and public accountability.

✔ Strongly Agree
☐ Agree
☐ Neutral
☐ Disagree
☐ Strongly Disagree

Comment (optional)

 

Question 12. What role should community organizations and volunteers play in helping address county challenges?

✔ Major Role
☐ Moderate Role
☐ Limited Role
☐ No Role
☐ Unsure

Comment (optional)

 

Additional Comments (please note Question # if adding to your response above)

Please share any additional comments:

 

 

 

 

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4.  Candidate Information

Candidate: Eileen O’Hara
Office: Hawaiʻi County Council
District: District 4
Campaign email: [email protected]
Campaign telephone: (808) 896-1902
Campaign website: www.ohara4puna.com
Facebook: Friends of Eileen O’Hara