East Honolulu council race heads to Aug. 8 nonpartisan primary
Four nonpartisan candidates are scheduled to compete for Honolulu City Council District 4 in the Aug. 8, 2026 primary, opening the election process for a seat representing much of East Honolulu.
The Hawaii Office of Elections set Aug. 8 as the statewide primary date in its 2026 election proclamation. District 4 is one of four nonpartisan Honolulu City Council contests included in that proclamation.
The contest will select representation for a district that includes Hawaiʻi Kai, Kāhala, Kaimukī and parts of Waikīkī. East Honolulu comprises much of the district, but not its entire electorate.
November election is conditional
The Aug. 8 primary may not be the final stage of the District 4 race. Under the election process outlined in the state proclamation, a second nonpartisan election is set for Nov. 3, 2026, when no candidate wins a majority in a multicandidate contest.
That means the November date is a possible next step, not a certainty for District 4. The available reporting does not establish final vote totals or whether one candidate will receive a majority in the August election.
With four candidates on the primary ballot, voters will first decide whether the contest is resolved under the majority threshold or proceeds to the November second election. The Office of Elections proclamation provides the calendar and procedure for the council contests but does not determine the District 4 outcome in advance.
Issues tied to city government
Candidate-question reporting on the race has focused on parks, beaches, affordability and local development questions. Those subjects concern areas in which the City and County of Honolulu’s policy decisions can affect district communities, public spaces and neighborhood development.
Reporting has also described the contest as a rematch involving Council Chair Tommy Waters and challenger Augie Ozawa. The approved reporting identifies those two figures in the race but does not provide verified campaign positions for publication here.
The race is therefore both an election-calendar matter and a local representation decision for communities across District 4. Its result will determine who holds the council seat; the available material does not support a claim about broader council control.
What voters know now
The immediate known election date is Aug. 8. District 4 voters will choose among four nonpartisan candidates alongside voters in the other Honolulu council contests covered by the 2026 proclamation.
If no candidate wins a majority, the District 4 contest would move to the Nov. 3 second election. Until the August votes are counted, whether that additional election will be required remains unresolved.
Sources
- Parks, Beaches, Affordability: Honolulu City Council District 4 Candidate Q&As, Honolulu Civil Beat
- 2026 Election Proclamation, Hawaii Office of Elections
- Waters vs. Ozawa Round Two: The East Honolulu Council Rematch Shaping Up for August Primary, Honolulu Wire