Honolulu Council Picks Dos Santos-Tam as Chair
The 6-2 vote installs Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam as chair, with Esther Kiaʻāina named vice chair.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in People
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The Honolulu City Council voted 6-2 Thursday to make Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam its new chair. Councilmember Esther Kiaʻāina was voted vice chair.
Why it matters
The change sets the council's leadership ahead of Current Chair Tommy Waters' departure in January. The state is also investigating a recent leadership meeting among councilmembers that was not open to the public.
The council vote passed 6-2, while roughly half of the written testimony submitted opposed the leadership change. The state's investigation into the closed-door meeting remains open.
The players
Tyler Dos Santos-Tam
Honolulu City Councilmember who was voted the council's new chair.
Esther Kiaʻāina
Honolulu City Councilmember who was voted the council's vice chair.
Tommy Waters
Outgoing Honolulu City Council chair who is leaving the council in January.
The details
Dos Santos-Tam and Kiaʻāina met with three other councilmembers to discuss leadership before the vote. Some critics said the meeting should have been open to the public, prompting the state investigation.
Timeline
Thursday: Council votes 6-2 to install new chair and vice chair.
January 2027: Current Chair Tommy Waters leaves the council.
Business Landscape
The investigation falls under Hawaiʻi's Sunshine Law, which requires most government board deliberations to occur in public. How the state resolves this case will show how strictly that law applies to informal councilmember discussions.
Honolulu residents may see different priorities from the council under new leadership. Anyone who wants to follow the state's investigation can track it through public records requests.
The takeaway
Leadership changes on local councils can reshape agendas quickly, and public access to those decisions is a key check on the process. Residents interested in local government can attend council meetings and review written testimony.
What happens next
Tommy Waters is scheduled to leave the council in January 2027, which will complete the leadership transition.
Further reading
Explore more on People coverage of local government leaders in Honolulu.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hawai'i Public Radio.
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