Civil Beat has asked candidates for the Hawaiʻi elections to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from Kelly King, nonpartisan candidate for Maui County Council, South Maui District.

Because there are only two candidates, she will not appear on the primary ballot and will run in the Nov. 3 general election against incumbent Tom Cook.

Go to Civil Beat’s 2026 Elections Guide for general information, and check out the other candidates on Civil Beatʻs 2026 Hawaiʻi Primary Ballot.

Why are you best suited for the job of council member, and why do you want the job?

To me, the position is a job not a title. I offer proven experience in policy-making, community project collaboration and business leadership. In my 40+ years volunteering for community betterment, in PTAs and on non-profit boards, I also served four years as Maui’s representative on the State Board of Education, six years on the Maui County Council, four decades as owner/operator (with my husband) of two successful businesses, King Diesel and Pacific Biodiesel, and almost 10 years running the Maui Sunflower Farm.

What is the biggest issue facing Maui County, and what is the first thing you would do to address it in the first six months after being elected?

I believe the biggest countywide issue is affordable housing, and affordability in general. I will continue my previous efforts to actively bring more truly affordable housing to our communities (ie. Kaiwahine Village and Kaiaulu O Halelea low-income rentals, both of which were started with my help and completed in about two years). South Maui’s biggest issue right now is flood mitigation. I will continue my work to push for more wetland restoration and biological drainage projects.

Here’s one question from a constituent: What is your position on upcountry speed humps? Would you remove them? Why or why not?

If the community does not want them, they should be removed. We probably have more near accidents in Kīhei and when I asked the Public Works Department why they didn’t respond to neighborhoods (in North Kīhei) that want speed bumps/humps/table, I was told that they impede first responder vehicles. It’s confusing to now see the installation of speed humps where folks appear to NOT want them!

The county now has a law on the books to effectively phase out several thousand vacation rentals in apartment-zoned districts starting in 2029. The companion measure to grandfather in more than half of those properties has since been rejected by all three planning commissions. What would you do as a council member about this?

I’d like to form a working group of citizens, housing experts and elected officials to create a comprehensive plan for making sure the phase out is done correctly. Many of the condos in question are in bad repair and/or very expensive with high insurance and HOA fees. I’d support our county negotiating the purchase of the buildings that can be more easily repaired and then offered to local families at affordable rates. It would be great to offer rentals to Lahaina fire survivors while they rebuild!

Hawai‘i has a long-stated goal of growing more of its own food. What would you do to further that effort toward increased food sustainability?

When we started the Maui Sunflower Farm, it was to grow oilseeds to process into biodiesel; however, we quickly developed our food safe crushing mill, bottling and labeling facility to fill a local need and are farming regeneratively on Maui and Kauai. I also serve on the steering committee for Maui Nui Food Alliance, and I believe the MNFA efforts to survey farmers is leading to more goal-oriented food summits. As a council member, I would work directly with the DOE to get more local produce in Maui schools.

The county has been moving forward with plans to bring much more of Maui’s water supply under public ownership instead of private. What steps would you take to get a better handle on Maui’s water future?

In my previous tenure on the council I strongly supported the County Water Authority concept, and I will continue to work towards county control over our most precious public trust: water! I look forward to collaborating with the East Maui Water Authority Board of Directors.

Overtourism can degrade the environment, contribute to wear and tear on infrastructure, generate traffic and disrupt neighborhoods. How well is Maui managing the tourism industry that drives its economy? What would you do differently?

As chair of the council’s CARE Committee, I spent countless hours meeting with community members to create and pass multiple legislative initiatives that protect our wetlands, reef systems, native seabirds and turtles, and more. I also negotiated the settlement agreement with EarthJustice for the Lahaina Injection Well lawsuit, working to create solutions rather than wasting money on lawsuits. There is much more infrastructure needed to address overtourism, and I’m ready to get back to work!

What should Maui County do to get in front of climate change rather than just reacting and adapting to it?

As CARE (Climate Action, Resilience and Environment) Committee chair, I proposed and was able to pass the first and only change to the Countywide Policy Plan since its adoption in 2010. The new chapter “Mitigate Climate Change and Work Toward Resilience” outlines three major objectives with implementing actions. Many of the actions were started during my term, and I will continue to work on the recommendations in this chapter. [search “Countywide Policy Plan” and look up section L.]

Maui has been targeted for enforcement by ICE agents. What will be the position of your office to requests for more cooperation between county law enforcement and federal authorities?

I testified against the Joint Task Force and was very glad when the council finally voted it down. I would work to strengthen home rule and ensure that cooperation between county and federal law enforcement was for the benefit of all our citizens, not serving any personal, racist agenda. As the daughter of parents who were incarcerated during WWII just for being Japanese, I know how harmful racial profiling can be!

The $1.6 billion federal Community Block Development Grant is the largest disaster loan in U.S. history, but it falls far short of the estimates for recovery from the 2023 wildfires. What would you do to make those dollars count?

Accountability is key. There needs to be oversight and the council should review the spending on this and other large appropriations regularly!

The cost of living on Maui continues to remain high. How can county government help working and middle-class people buy homes, pay rent or otherwise afford to live and work on the island?

There are county programs for new homeowners and low-income renters that help with downpayments and rent costs, but we might need to increase those programs and maybe even add subsidies to help folks who lost their SNAP benefits due to the federal cuts. I would support a countywide study on the needs of our residents since the cuts to our basic needs and providing some help to folks who have lived on Maui for a reasonable amount of time.

What is your assessment of programs combating invasive species in Maui Nui and what other measures would you advocate for you in office?

I haven’t heard any recent reports to the council, but I did run into the new director recently and she seems very committed to the efforts. The council should ask for some kind of draft longterm plan (5-10 years) that outlines goals and the tasks/funding necessary to eradicate or at least reduce populations of little fire ants, CRB, cocqui frogs, etc.