VoteHawaiʻi

Neurodivergent-friendly voter information for Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi

KAUAI MAYOR

About the 2026 Kauaʻi Mayoral Race — Open Seat

The 2026 Kauaʻi mayoral race is an open seat: incumbent Mayor Derek Kawakami is term-limited after serving two full terms (2018–2026) and cannot seek re-election. That makes this the first truly open mayoral contest on Kauaʻi in eight years, with no incumbent advantage on the ballot. As of the May 2026 official snapshot, these candidates filed for the race: Mel Rapozo, Bernard Carvalho Jr., Felicia Cowden, Megeso-William Denis, Laura Andaya-Lindsey, and Michaela B. Widener. Housing affordability is a prominent issue across the race — Kauaʻi median home prices have surpassed $900,000. Short-term rental (STR) enforcement, county permitting reform, tourism management, and infrastructure investment are among the policy areas candidates have addressed in filing and campaign coverage. Voters should consult candidate websites, KKCR Elections forum recordings, and local news for verifiable stances from each candidate.

Open seat — no incumbent running.

Primary date: 2026-08-08

ANDAYA-LINDSEY, Laura

Party: Nonpartisan · Backing: Independent

Platform: Catholic Charities community director running for mayor under the 'Hope In Action' banner; human services and county finance background.

  • 62-year-old Kapaʻa resident who has spent more than 30 years in community development leadership with St. Catherine's School, Church, and related Catholic Charities institutions; currently serves as Community Island Director with Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi, overseeing programs serving vulnerable populations across the island.
  • Previously worked in Kauaʻi County finance — giving her direct familiarity with county budget processes, capital project funding, and fiscal constraints on social service delivery.
  • Running under the 'Hope In Action' campaign banner; told Kauaʻi Now that she entered the race after watching long-standing community issues go unaddressed for decades despite good intentions — the only direct on-record characterization of her motivation at the time of her March 23, 2026 filing.
  • In the June 2026 Civil Beat candidate Q&A: prioritizes affordable housing for working families and kupuna — would direct county resources toward housing programs serving low- and moderate-income residents, using her county finance background to identify and redirect existing funding streams.
  • On tourism: would manage the visitor economy to ensure it supports rather than displaces resident communities; supports stricter enforcement of existing vacation-rental regulations and directing visitor-generated revenue toward social services and affordable housing programs.
  • On sovereignty: deeply respects Native Hawaiian culture, community, and self-determination as central values; her community development work with Catholic Charities has included direct partnership with Native Hawaiian families and culturally grounded social service delivery.

Editorial summary: Laura Andaya-Lindsey entered the 2026 Kauaʻi mayor's race with a 'Hope In Action' platform grounded in 30+ years of community development and county finance work. Her June 2026 Civil Beat Q&A filled in platform specifics: affordable housing directed at working families and kupuna, county finance expertise applied to redirect existing funding streams, strict vacation-rental enforcement with visitor revenue channeled toward social services, and deep respect for Native Hawaiian community and self-determination.

Key issues: Human services, Vulnerable-population housing, County financial discipline, Kupuna care

Profile last reviewed: 2026-06-19

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