East Honolulu’s District 4 council primary is set for August 8 after a rematch campaign
Former Honolulu City Council member Trevor Ozawa is challenging incumbent Council Chair Tommy Waters for East Honolulu’s District 4 seat in the primary election scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026.
Ozawa announced a campaign to reclaim the seat, while Waters is seeking another term. The contest is a rematch of the candidates’ 2022 race, when Waters defeated Ozawa.
A rematch for the District 4 seat
The race centers on Honolulu City Council District 4, which coverage identifies as an East Honolulu district. Hawaii Kai and Portlock are among the communities named in reporting on the contest.
The available source packet does not provide the district’s complete official boundaries. It also does not establish polling, fundraising totals or a favored candidate ahead of the primary.
That leaves the Aug. 8 election as the next known date in the contest. The packet does not provide an eventual result or details of any later election stage.
Eligibility challenge did not bar Waters’ candidacy
Waters’ ability to run again was questioned in a letter sent to the city clerk. The clerk cleared Waters to run, allowing his candidacy to proceed.
The source material does not state the basis of the eligibility question or provide further details about the clerk’s determination. The determination is distinct from the voters’ upcoming decision in the primary.
Leadership and local priorities
The result will determine who holds the District 4 council seat and could affect council leadership and local governance, according to reporting on the race. Waters is the council chair, making the contest potentially consequential beyond the district seat itself.
Waters has cited lowering sewer fees, finding a new landfill, easing traffic and continuing outreach in the district as priorities. Those are stated campaign priorities, rather than completed policy outcomes.
The approved reporting also identifies sewer fees, traffic, landfill planning and district emergency preparedness among local issues that could be affected by the race. The packet does not establish specific proposals, costs, timelines or outcomes for those matters.
East Honolulu election activity
The council contest is unfolding amid other election coverage in the area. Honolulu Civil Beat published candidate question-and-answer coverage on July 16 that identified two candidates in the East Honolulu state House District 20 race.
That separate legislative contest does not determine the District 4 council seat. For the Waters-Ozawa rematch, the confirmed next step in the available material is the Aug. 8, 2026 primary.
Sources
- Former council member challenges chair in East Honolulu rematch, Hawaii News Now
- Waters vs. Ozawa Round Two: The East Honolulu Council Rematch Shaping Up for August Primary, Honolulu Wire
- Honolulu Beat archives and candidate coverage, Honolulu Civil Beat