Kauai County, Hawaii

Kauai County Mayor

2 candidates are tracked for Kauai County Mayor on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Mel Rapozo and Bernard Carvalho, Jr.. Candidate information follows official Kauai County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Mel Rapozo (7,580 votes) and Bernard Carvalho, Jr. (5,720) advance to the November 3, 2026 general election, per the Hawaii Office of Elections' official August 8 primary results. Open seat: Mayor Derek Kawakami is term-limited and won the August 8 Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. Kauai's top two always advance; a primary majority does not elect outright.

What this office does

Mayor. The mayor is the city's chief elected official. In a strong-mayor city the mayor runs the city government, prepares the budget and appoints department heads; in a council-manager city the mayor presides over the council and a hired manager runs operations. Which model applies depends on the city charter.

This race. Nonpartisan: candidates appear without party labels.

Hawaii › Kauai County › Kauai County Mayor

Mel Rapozo

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Expand housing opportunities and improve infrastructure
Public safety and homelessness solutions combining compassion with accountability
Transparency, fiscal responsibility and measurable results

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Rapozo spent 13 years with the Kauai Police Department, more than 20 years in the Hawaii Air National Guard, and 18 years on the Kauai County Council, including multiple terms as council chair, per the campaign site. Born and raised on Kauai and now a Wailua resident, Rapozo is running for Mayor of Kauai County, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Bernard Carvalho, Jr.

Nonpartisan

Top priorities

Keeping Kauai families home
Responsible management
Creating resilient communities

Per Kauai Now.

Biography

Bernard Carvalho, Jr. is the sitting county councilmember and former Kauai mayor of 10 years, per Hawaii News Now and Kauai Now; endorsed by HGEA, per his campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Next on your ballotKauai County Council (seven at-large seats)

See your full ballot

Voting info and more

Questions about this race

Who is running for Kauai County Mayor in 2026?

When is the Kauai County Mayor election in Hawaii?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Hawaii are on the Hawaii election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Kauai County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Kauai County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Hawaii election office, or see the full Kauai County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

The rest of your Kauai County ballot

6 tracked races in Kauai County, Hawaii. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot

Hawaii Senate District 8 Hawaii House District 15 Hawaii House District 16 See all 6 Kauai County races

Candidate profiles

Mel Rapozo, full profile Bernard Carvalho, Jr., full profile Official Hawaii election office