Honolulu Council Members, Prosecutor Fend Off Challengers

Honolulu City Council members and city prosecutor cruised comfortably to re-election Tuesday.

Only three of the City Council’s nine seats were on the November ballot, and incumbents were seeking re-election in all of them.

Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi received 62.5 percent of vote. She has represented District 5 since 2009. It includes Kaimuki, Palolo Valley, St. Louis Heights, Manoa, Moiliili, McCully, and part of Ala Moana, Kakaako and Makiki.

Three incumbent members of the Honolulu City Council were on Tuesday’s ballot.

Cory Lum/CIvil Beat

Kobayashi’s challenger, Kimberly Case, a former member of the Manoa Neighborhood Board, had 24.7 percent of the vote.

Councilman Joey Manahan received 64.8 percent of the vote. He has represented District 7 since 2012. It includes Kalihi, lwilei, Kalihi Kai, Mapunapuna, Salt Lake, Aliamanu, Hickam, Foster Village, Ford Island and Sand Island.

Manahan’s opponent, Chace Shigemasa, a former legislative aide who now works at Hawaiian Telcom, had 22.6 percent.

Councilman Ron Menor of District 9 has also held his seat since 2012. He received 74.3 percent. His district includes Waikele, Village Park, Royal Kunia, Mililani Town, West Loch, Iroquois Point, and portions of Ewa Villages and Ewa Beach.

Menor’s opponent, Emil Svrcina, had 15.7 percent. Svrcina has never held elected office but previously run unsuccessfully for the Legislature.

Keith Kaneshiro

The incumbents’ strong showing was not surprising, given that none of their challengers had ever held county or state political offices.

Kobayashi, Manahan and Menor all reported receiving tens of thousands of dollars more than their opponents in campaign donations.

Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro defeated his opponent Anosh Yaqoob, 69 percent to 18 percent.

Yaqoob, a relative unknown, has been practicing law for eight years but hasn’t worked as a prosecutor.