Fuel, Food And Disaster Preparation: Hawaiʻi County Council District 7
Big Island’s second-largest population center is facing a range of major challenges.
Three nonpartisan candidates are standing for the Hawaiʻi County Council seat for District 7 in the Aug. 8 primary election as current council member Rebecca Villegas is about to be termed out.
The seat takes in bustling Kailua-Kona as well as parts of more rural South Kona. The area has been recently recovering from the impacts of the Kona low storm system in March and a 6.0 magnitude earthquake that damaged many local water systems.
The candidates were sent a survey from Civil Beat asking them to outline their views on a variety of issues including the growth in transient vacation rentals, priorities for infrastructure and improving disaster preparedness.
Their responses, if supplied, are linked here 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.
Mark Henriques
Hawaiʻi’s 2026 elections are right around the corner and Civil Beat’s elections guide is here to help with essential information, candidate positions, news stories and more.
