Understanding the Appointment Process: What Our Supporters Need to Know
Over the past several days, our campaign has received an overwhelming number of messages, emails, and phone calls from community members across Kahului and beyond. Many of you have seen Aunty Carol Lee Kamekona’s name circulating in public discussions about the appointment to the Kahului Council seat. Your encouragement, your trust, and your aloha have moved every member of our team.
We want to take a moment to address the situation directly, clearly, and with complete transparency so that you, our supporters, our neighbors, and the people we serve understand what is happening, what the rules require, and what you can expect from us in the future.
Why This Moment Is Unique
This is not a standard appointment or a typical campaign cycle. It's a unique situation that intersects both. The Maui County Council may consider an interim appointee for the Kahului seat, but Aunty Carol Lee is also an officially declared candidate for the 2026 election.
This overlap triggers a specific set of campaign finance regulations under Hawaiʻi law.
Those regulations are designed to prevent campaigns from using non-election processes as an extension of electioneering, and they require us to be exceedingly careful about what the campaign itself can or cannot coordinate.
What Campaign Rules Require From Us Right Now
Because this situation involves both campaign activity and a County appointment, Team Carol Lee requested and is awaiting formal guidance from the Campaign Spending Commission (CSC) before we take public action related to the appointment process.
This means:
We cannot coordinate testimony.
We cannot draft or distribute messaging encouraging support.
We cannot direct individuals or organizations on how to engage.
We cannot solicit or organize advocacy around the appointment.
Until the CSC provides clarification, our campaign must remain neutral in any form of organized action connected to the potential appointment.
Our compliance with the campaign rules is not hesitation, it's a demonstration of our commitment to integrity, ethics, Transparency and respect for the law.
It is our duty to honor the law, even during moments of urgency.
What Community Members Can Do
While the campaign is restricted from participating until guidance is issued, community members, organizations, and the public continue to engage in the process within their own independent capacity.
Individuals, civic groups, advocacy organizations, and professional associations are entirely free to:
Share their personal manaʻo
Submit written or verbal testimony
Express public support
Participate in the process in whatever way feels pono
The key distinction is independence.
Supporters acting of their own volition, without campaign coordination, are protected by law and play an essential role in community decision-making. In fact, we have already seen respected voices in our community speak publicly, offering thoughtful reflections and manaʻo rooted in lived experience.
We appreciate every one of those expressions of support.
They demonstrate the strength and unity of Kahului’s people.
Why Transparency Matters
Aunty Carol Lee has always stood for clean governance, clear communication, and accountability. This moment is no different. If we are asking our leaders to be transparent, we must hold ourselves to the same standard.
Our commitment is simple:
We will follow the law.
We will protect the integrity of this process.
We will keep our community fully informed every step of the way, ensuring you are always in the loop.
This is leadership grounded in kuleana, not convenience.
Next Steps: What to Expect From the Campaign
Team Carol Lee is actively awaiting official clarification from the Campaign Spending Commission. Once we receive guidance on what is permitted, we will inform our supporters and organizational partners immediately.
When the time comes, and when it is lawful to do so, we will communicate the next steps clearly and professionally.
Until then, we ask our supporters to continue doing what this community does best:
Stay engaged.
Stay informed.
If you choose to participate, we trust you will do so with aloha.
Hold space for pono leadership.
Your messages of encouragement sustain us. Your vigilance inspires us. And your commitment to building a better future for Kahului strengthens our resolve every single day.
Mahalo Nui for Standing With Us
In moments like these, the heart of our community shines brightest. We deeply appreciate your support and the light you bring to our campaign. Whether through a private message, a public post, or simply holding this moment in your thoughts, your support means more than words can express.
Aunty Carol Lee is deeply humbled by your trust and your confidence in her ability to lead. We are so grateful to every person who has taken the time to reach out, check in, and show up with aloha.
We promise to honor this moment with the transparency, integrity, and community-centered values that define Aunty Carol Leeʻs leadership.
Mahalo for believing in this work.
Mahalo for believing in each other.
Mahalo for believing in a better path forward for Kahului and all of Maui.
Mahalo,
Team Carol Lee Kamekona