HILO — All other council races were decided during the August primary election.
Council Chairwoman Valerie Poindexter easily retained her District 1 seat in the primaries, defeating Abolghassem Sadegh. Poindexter had 3,470 votes, or 84.6 percent. Sadegh garnered 630 votes, or 15.4 percent.
Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung fended off challenger William Halversen by a wide margin. Chung received 4,876 votes or 88.4 percent, while Halversen tallied 641 votes, or 11.6 percent.
Puna Councilwoman Eileen O’Hara lost a contentious battle in District 4 to political newcomer Ashley Kierkiewicz. Councilwoman-elect Kierkiewicz got 2,545 votes or 60.3 percent, while the incumbent O’Hara had 1,674 votes, or 39.7 percent.
Another political newcomer will assume the District 5 seat in Puna, as well. Businessman Matt Kanealii-Klinefelder received 2,233 votes in the primary, or almost 70 percent of the valid votes cast, while Frederic “Ric” Wyrick got just over 30 percent, with 959 votes. Puna Councilwoman Jen Ruggles, who withdrew from the race too late for her name to be removed from the ballot, tallied 443 votes, which weren’t considered valid.
Ka‘u/South Kona Councilwoman Maile Medeiros David secured re-election handily in a three-way District 6 primary race. Her 3,068 vote total represented just under 77 percent. Challengers Yumi Kawano and Richard Abbett received 499 and 422 votes, respectively, or 12.5 percent for Kawano and 10.6 percent for Abbett.
Kohala Councilman Tim Richards turned back a primary challenge from Maya Parish in District 9. Richards received 2,845 votes, or 53.8 percent, while Parish’s total was 2,267 votes, or 46.2 percent.