Richard Bissen wins reelection as Maui County Mayor

Incumbent Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen has secured reelection, maintaining a lead over challenger Yuki Lei Sugimura. As of the second vote printout on Tuesday night, Bissen held a 10-point lead with 53.8 percent of the vote compared to Sugimura’s 43.7 percent.

The campaign took place during the economic recovery following the August 2023 wildfires in Lahaina. Bissen focused his platform on addressing the high cost of living and pursuing public ownership of critical water systems. Sugimura, a longtime County Council member, campaigned on affordability and opposed Bill 9, a measure that requires certain vacation rentals to convert to long-term housing for residents.

In a separate race on Kauai, County Council member Mel Rapozo was elected mayor after defeating former Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.