Big Island council race set, four open seats reshape 2026 ballot

Four open seats have turned the 2026 Hawaii County Council race into a fight over who will shape the Big Island’s next round of decisions on housing, water, roads, land use and emergency preparedness.

The filing period closed Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., locking in a ballot that will test how much turnover voters are willing to accept on a nine-member council that serves as the county’s legislative branch. Three incumbents were term-limited out, and Michelle Galimba chose not to seek re-election, leaving five incumbents to defend their seats. Two are unopposed, while three face challengers.

That mix matters because county council members serve two-year terms and can hold office for a maximum of four consecutive two-year terms. With four seats open, the council that takes office after the November election could look significantly different from the one seated on Dec. 2, 2024, when new members were installed for the 2024-2026 term and Holeka Goro Inaba was selected as chair.

One of the most closely watched races is in District 1, which covers North Hilo, Hāmākua and a portion of Waimea. Heather Kimball is seeking a fourth and final term there against small farmer Ren del Rosario. Former UFC champion BJ Penn is also in the mix, adding a familiar name to a district that could help decide how the county approaches rural roads, water access and growth pressure in the northeast side of the island. Penn is facing a third-degree assault charge after an incident in Hilo, and a judge has found him mentally fit to stand trial.

The rest of the map is just as consequential. District 5 covers Puna, while District 6 includes Kaū, portions of South Kona and Volcano, all places where county policy can quickly hit daily life through road repairs, subdivision approvals and emergency planning. Because all nine council seats are on the ballot, the election is not a partial shuffle but a full reset of county power.

The next milestones come fast. Voters are scheduled to receive primary mail ballot packets on July 21. Voter service centers open July 27, the paper-registration deadline for the primary is July 29, and absentee-ballot requests are due Aug. 1. The primary election is Aug. 8, and any candidate who wins more than 50 percent plus one in the primary can win outright. Otherwise, the top two move on to the Nov. 3 general election.