Kīlauea Eruptions And Puna Roads: State House District 5 Candidate Q&As
The incumbent House representative has two opponents.
A Big Island district larger than all of Oʻahu has three candidates seeking to represent it in the Hawaiʻi Legislature.
State House District 5 includes the communities of Pāhala, Punalu’u, Nā’ālehu, Wai’ōhinu, Hawaiian Ocean View, Ho’okena, Volcano, Fern Forest, Glenwood, Mountain View, and portions of Kea’au and Kurtistown.
The incumbent, Democrat Jeanne Kapela — first elected in 2020 — is seeking another term. She is facing a challenge from Democratic County Council Member Matthew Kaneali’I-Kleinfelder and Republican Dalene McCormick.
The three candidates were sent a survey from Civil Beat, asking for their views on a range of topics including term limits, fiscal notes for proposed legislation, and how they would address the main issues confronting their heavily rural district.
Their responses are linked in alphabetical order under their official ballot name, which you can also compare all in one spot on Civil Beat’s 2026 Hawaiʻi Primary Ballot.
