Charmaine Tavares
Encyclopedia
Charmaine Tavares is an American
politician
and politician
. Tavares has served as the Mayor of Maui
since January 2007. She unsuccessfully sought a second four-year term in office in the 2010 Maui mayoral election.
, to Hannibal and Harriet Tavares. Her father, Hannibal Tavares
, served as the Mayor of Maui from 1979 until 1991, the longest tenure of any Maui mayor to date. Tavares is the descendant of Japanese and Portuguese immigrants who settled in Hawaii. Her mother, Harriet, is of Japanese
descent and her father was of Portuguese descent.
She attended both Kaunoa Elementary School and Maul High School, before graduating from St Anthony High School. Tavares earned a bachelor's degree
in education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa
in 1967. She also received a fifth-year professional diploma
in education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1970.
, counselor
and athletic director from 1967 to 1982. She was also the program director of the Maui Community College
(MCC) Upward Bound program from 1983 until 1989.
Tavares served as the director of the Department of Parks and Recreation
for Maui County from 1989 to 1995.
in the election and was sworn into office on January 2, 2007.
Tavares announced her re-election campaign for a second four-year term in the 2010 mayoral election. The mayoral primary election was held on September 18, 2010. Tavares narrowly won the mayoral primary election, taking 7,307 votes, or 25.4% of the total vote. She defeated her nearest opponent, former Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa
by 268 votes. Arakawa placed second in the primary, receiving 7,039 votes, or 24.4% of the vote. Tavares and Arakawa automatically advanced to the general election as the two top vote-getters in the primary. Electric contractor Randy Piltz placed fourth with 5,602 votes (19.4%); Chris Hart placed fifth with 3,035 (10.5%); Maui Council member Sol Kaho'ohalahala
came in sixth place with 2,912 votes (10.1%); businessman Marc Hodges placed seventh with 1,761 votes (6.1%). Five other candidates earned a combined 1.5% of the vote.
Tavares won 11 of Maui's 39 election precincts in the 2010 primary. Most of these precincts were located in Central Maui. Former Mayor Alan Arakawa won 23 precincts in South Maui and West Maui.
Charmaine Tavares faced Alan Arakawa in the general election on November 2, 2010. The election was a rematch of the 2006 Maui mayoral election, in which Tavares defeated Arakawa. However, Tavares did not fare as well in the rematch, becoming one of the only Democrats in Hawaii to lose reelection to a Republican.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. Tavares has served as the Mayor of Maui
Mayor of Maui
The Mayor of Maui is the chief executive officer of the County of Maui in the state of Hawaii. He or she has municipal jurisdiction over the islands of Kahoolawe, Lanai, Maui and Molokai...
since January 2007. She unsuccessfully sought a second four-year term in office in the 2010 Maui mayoral election.
Early life
Tavares was born in 1943 in Hana, Hawaii, in eastern MauiMaui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, to Hannibal and Harriet Tavares. Her father, Hannibal Tavares
Hannibal Tavares
Hannibal M. Tavares was an American politician. Tavares served as the Mayor of Maui from 1979 until 1991. He holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Mayor of Maui in history....
, served as the Mayor of Maui from 1979 until 1991, the longest tenure of any Maui mayor to date. Tavares is the descendant of Japanese and Portuguese immigrants who settled in Hawaii. Her mother, Harriet, is of Japanese
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
descent and her father was of Portuguese descent.
She attended both Kaunoa Elementary School and Maul High School, before graduating from St Anthony High School. Tavares earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system...
in 1967. She also received a fifth-year professional diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
in education from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1970.
Career
Tavares has previously worked in Hawaiian public schools as a teacherTeacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
, counselor
School counselor
A school counselor is a counselor and an educator who works in elementary, middle, and high schools to provide academic, career, college access, and personal/social competencies to K-12 students...
and athletic director from 1967 to 1982. She was also the program director of the Maui Community College
Maui Community College
The University of Hawai'i Maui College is a public, co-educational commuter college in Kahului, Hawaii on the island of Maui...
(MCC) Upward Bound program from 1983 until 1989.
Tavares served as the director of the Department of Parks and Recreation
Department of Parks and Recreation
The Department of Parks and Recreation , also known as Board of Parks and Recreation or Park Board, is a local government agency or department which oversees parks and recreational public works...
for Maui County from 1989 to 1995.
Maui County Council
Tavares was first elected to the Maui County Council in 1996. She served on the Council, representing the Upcountry Seat, from 1997 until 2006. She was elected to the Maui County Council in five separate elections.Mayor of Maui
Charmaine Tavares was elected Mayor of Maui in the 2006 mayoral election. She defeated incumbent Mayor Alan ArakawaAlan Arakawa
Alan M. Arakawa is an American politician who is currently the Mayor of the County of Maui in Hawaii. He previously served as Maui mayor from 2002 to 2006., Arakawa graduated from Maui High School and attended the University of Hawai'i at Manoa as a business major. He then entered civil service...
in the election and was sworn into office on January 2, 2007.
Tavares announced her re-election campaign for a second four-year term in the 2010 mayoral election. The mayoral primary election was held on September 18, 2010. Tavares narrowly won the mayoral primary election, taking 7,307 votes, or 25.4% of the total vote. She defeated her nearest opponent, former Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa
Alan Arakawa
Alan M. Arakawa is an American politician who is currently the Mayor of the County of Maui in Hawaii. He previously served as Maui mayor from 2002 to 2006., Arakawa graduated from Maui High School and attended the University of Hawai'i at Manoa as a business major. He then entered civil service...
by 268 votes. Arakawa placed second in the primary, receiving 7,039 votes, or 24.4% of the vote. Tavares and Arakawa automatically advanced to the general election as the two top vote-getters in the primary. Electric contractor Randy Piltz placed fourth with 5,602 votes (19.4%); Chris Hart placed fifth with 3,035 (10.5%); Maui Council member Sol Kaho'ohalahala
Sol Kaho'ohalahala
Sol Kaho'ohalahala is a Maui County Councilmember representing the island of Lanai, Hawaii. On April 18, 2010, he announced his candidacy for Mayor of Maui County He currently serves as the Maui County Council Member from Lana'i...
came in sixth place with 2,912 votes (10.1%); businessman Marc Hodges placed seventh with 1,761 votes (6.1%). Five other candidates earned a combined 1.5% of the vote.
Tavares won 11 of Maui's 39 election precincts in the 2010 primary. Most of these precincts were located in Central Maui. Former Mayor Alan Arakawa won 23 precincts in South Maui and West Maui.
Charmaine Tavares faced Alan Arakawa in the general election on November 2, 2010. The election was a rematch of the 2006 Maui mayoral election, in which Tavares defeated Arakawa. However, Tavares did not fare as well in the rematch, becoming one of the only Democrats in Hawaii to lose reelection to a Republican.