Hawaii County has elected a new mayor.

Kimo Alameda, the former CEO of Bay Clinic, defeated incumbent Mitch Roth in the nonpartisan runoff election for the county's chief executive post on Tuesday evening. Alameda received 35,577 votes or 53.7% of the valid votes, Roth's 30,717 votes or 46.3%.

Long lines at polling stations delayed the first return to the public. The initial report has a time stamp of 11:40 p.m., but the returns only appeared online today around 12:30 p.m.

Alameda, a newcomer to elected politics, served as head of the Fentanyl Task Force. He also served as head of the county's Office of Aging under former mayors Harry Kim and the late Billy Kenoi. He received the support of two public employee unions, the Hawaii Government Employees Association and the United Public Workers.

Both unions called for hazard pay for work during the pandemic, which Roth rejected for tax reasons. Arbitration proceedings regarding hazard pay are still ongoing.

Incumbent Matt Kaneali'i-Kleinfelder won the Puna 5th District Council seat in a rematch against Ikaika Rodenhurst. Kaneali'i-Kleinfelder received 3,556 votes, or 57.25% of the valid vote, while Rodenhurst received 2,655 votes, or 42.75%.

The only other council seat in dispute, District 9 in Kohala, will have a new owner.

James Hustace, another election newcomer, defeated incumbent Cindy Evans. Hustace received 4,191 votes, or 56.8%, while Evans received 3,192 votes, or 43.2%.

All of the Big Island state's incumbent Democratic lawmakers — Sen. Dru Kanuha and Reps. Chris Todd, Greggor Ilagan, Jeanne Kapela, Kirstin Kahaloa, Nicole Lowen and David Tarnas — also won re-election Tuesday.

For full stories, see Thursday's Tribune-Herald.

Email John Burnett at [email protected]