Honolulu council chair Tommy Waters' (D) reelection eligibility challenged [View all]

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters is facing questions over his reelection campaign.

A registered voter sent an objection letter last month to the city clerk asking for a review of Waters’ eligibility. The letter submitted a written challenge to Waters’ filing paperwork seeking another term and asked for a review to determine if his candidacy complies with term limit provisions.

The city clerk responded days later that Waters is eligible because he was elected in a special election with Trevor Ozawa after the state Supreme Court invalidated the 2018 results. The issue revolved around absentee ballots that were not picked up by the city clerk’s office by the deadline.

Waters said the rule limiting candidates to two consecutive four-year terms does not apply in his case because of the delay. He didn’t take office on the usual inauguration day, Jan. 2, 2019 rather, he was sworn in on May 6, 2019, four months later.




https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/04/16/honolulu-council-chair-tommy-waters-reelection-eligibility-challenged/?outputType=amp