City Council welcomes two new members

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nov 29, 2022

City Council welcomes two new members

Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, Val Okimoto sworn in this morning

HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I ̶ The Honolulu City Council this morning passed resolutions welcoming new representatives for Council Districts VI and VIII.

Tyler Dos Santos-Tam and Val Aquino Okimoto won election to represent Districts VI and VIII, respectively, in the recent general election. Their predecessors, former Councilmembers Brandon Elefante and Carol Fukunaga, were elected to the Hawai‘i State Senate in the election and resigned their Council seats as required by state law.

“I’m thinking about the constituents I met along the way,” said Dos Santos-Tam. “It will be an honor to work on their behalf.” Dos Santos-Tam has been a longtime community advocate, and is a co-founder of HI Good Neighbor, which advocates to preserve and protect neighborhoods. He also has served as a neighborhood board member, a Honolulu Neighborhood Commissioner, and as Chair of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i.

“I am grateful to be here today and am gladly taking on this responsibility to serve the residents of District VIII,” Okimoto said. “I look forward to serving all of you as we improve the lives of all our people here.” Okimoto has served as a State Representative and has been active in the community as a director and treasurer of the Mililani Town Association, as a member of the Community Council of the Mililani ‘Ike Elementary School, and has also been active with the Mililani American Youth Soccer Organization, among others.

The district vacancies were filled by unanimous Council approval of separate resolutions, in accordance with the City Charter.

Following City and County of Honolulu reapportionment, the two new Councilmembers represent newly apportioned districts, as follows:

Honolulu City Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam represents Council District VI, which includes portions of Kakaʻako, Downtown Honolulu, Punchbowl, Papakolea, Pauoa Valley, Nu‘uanu, Iwilei, Liliha, ‘Ālewa Heights Kalihi and Kalihi Valley.

Honolulu City Councilmember Val Okimoto represents Council District VIII which includes portions of ‘Aiea, Waimalu, Newtown, Pearl City, Seaview, Crestview, Waipi‘o Gentry, Koa Ridge, Mililani Town and Mililani Mauka.