Hawaii County mayoral candidates to face off in ‘Spotlight Now’ debate

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Incumbent Mitch Roth is set to face challenger Kimo Alameda in a general election runoff for Hawaii County mayor.

The two candidates will be joining “Spotlight Now” on Tuesday at 1 p.m. for a special debate prior to the Nov. 5 election.

Meet the candidates

Roth is seeking a second term after winning the seat in 2020. He has built a career in law enforcement, serving eight years as Hawaii County prosecutor. He was a deputy prosecutor on Hawaii Island and in Honolulu before that. The 53-year-old is a graduate of the University of Hawaii at Manoa and Whittier Law School.

Alameda is a psychologist. Born on Hawaii Island, he grew up on a ranch in Waiakea Uka. The 54-year-old is a graduate of Hawaii Pacific University and UH Manoa, and earned his doctorate at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has worked extensively in public health and has led the Hawaii County fentanyl task force.

Key issues

The candidates will be discussing their top priorities if elected mayor, and dive into topics including homelessness, affordable housing, wildfire risks, TMT, waste management and more.

The forum will air live on K5 and stream on HNN’s digital platforms.

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