Longest-serving OHA trustee ousted in general election
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) — General election results have reshuffled the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees, unseating the board’s longest-serving member and electing a former Honolulu City Council member in crowded statewide race.
In the at-large contest — where six candidates vied for three open seats — early printouts kept candidates on edge until final statewide results solidified the winners.
Current vice chair Keoni Souza captured the top spot, followed by former Honolulu City Council member Ikaika Anderson and incumbent trustee Brickwood Galuteria.
Trustee John Waiheʻe IV finished fourth and was unseated with more than 1,000 votes behind Galuteria. Waiheʻe is the son of former Hawaiʻi Gov. John Waiheʻe and had served on the OHA board for 26 years.
Souza described an “emotional roller coaster” as ballots were processed across the islands.
“The second printout came out. They were 295 votes away from John Waiheʻe,” Souza said. “The neighbor islands came in — Hawaiʻi, Maui — and we were waiting for that Oʻahu printout. And when the Oʻahu printout came out, we took the number-one spot at that point, and we were very grateful.”
Healani Sonoda-Pale of Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻi pointed to shifting voter demographics as a factor in the upset.
“We know that he got in on the coattails of his father, basically from name recognition,” Sonoda-Pale said. “A lot of the people who are now voting have never even heard of John Waiheʻe unless you’ve done your history and weren’t alive during his tenure.”
Incumbents retain island seats
In the race for the Maui island trustee seat, incumbent and former board chair Carmen Hulu Lindsey won re-election, defeating challenger Keʻeaumoku Kapu.
On Oʻahu, incumbent Trustee Kalei Akaka secured re-election over challenger Hinaleimoana Wong.
Anderson positioned as potential swing vote
Political observers note that Anderson’s arrival could position him as a swing vote on a board previously divided between a majority under Chair Kai Kahele and a faction aligned with former chair Lindsey.
Anderson told Hawaii News Now he was able to work with everyone on a divided Honolulu City Council and he looks forward to working with the eight other trustees.
“To sum up in one word: grateful,” said Anderson.
“I really need to understand exactly what’s happening and have the opportunity to talk with my colleagues and have firsthand experience as to exactly what’s going on, but to be clear, I have no predetermined conclusion as to I’m going here, I’m going there,” he added.
OHA beneficiary Jacob Aki reflected on the historical weight of the election and the challenges ahead.
“From a 30,000-foot level, this was a race of political legacies in the Native Hawaiian community,” Aki said. “As someone who follows the board and business, my hope is that they are able to come together.”
The trustees are set to select leadership positions, appoint a new chief executive officer, and take the oath of office at an investiture ceremony scheduled for Dec. 14.
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