2016 Honolulu mayoral election


The 2016 Honolulu mayoral election determined the Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu for the full term commencing in January 2017. As in the previous several elections, Skyline and its cost overruns was a major topic of the campaign.
Incumbent Democratic Mayor Kirk Caldwell ran for re-election to a second term. A non-partisan blanket primary was held on Saturday, August 13, 2016. As no candidate received an outright majority of the vote in the primary, the top-two finishers, Caldwell and former Republican U.S. Representative Charles Djou, advanced to the general election runoff on Tuesday, November 8, 2016; Caldwell won with 52 percent of the vote, to Djou's 48 percent.

Candidates

Eliminated

  • Kurt Baker
  • Zachary Burd
  • Ernest Caravalho
  • Peter Carlisle, former Mayor of Honolulu
  • Lawrence Friedman
  • Tim Garry
  • Ronald Hochuli
  • Lillian Hong
  • Angela Kaaihue
  • Mike Powers
  • Joseph Wargo

General election

Results

Caldwell won reelection on November 8, 2016, in the runoff with Djou, 52.2% to 47.8%. Though both candidates supported the municipal rail project, substantial cost overruns were an issue, as was Caldwell's alleged interference with the Ethics Commission.