Former UFC champion BJ Penn and retired entrepreneur Ren del Rosario are challenging incumbent Heather Kimball for her Hawai‘i County Council seat to represent portions of North Hilo and the Hāmākua Coastin in the District 1 primary race on Aug. 8.

Kimball is seeking re-election to her fourth and final two-year term. She hopes to continue her work in reducing taxes for residents and securing funding for infrastructure repairs. She also plans to introduce legislation for wildfire mitigation.

Del Rosario thinks District 1 needs better leadership. He wants to address the infrastructure that works for the rural district, business development, and local food and ‘āina-based livelihoods.

Penn did not respond to Big Island Now’s emailed questions about his priorities.

District 1 covers North Hilo, Hāmākua and a portion of Waimea, including Honoka‘a, Pa‘auilo, Laupāhoehoe, Honomū, Pepe‘ekeo, Pāpa‘ikou, Pauka‘a, and part of Wainaku.

This election could be decided on Aug. 8 if one of the District 1 candidates receives 50% plus one vote in the primary. If no one achieves this threshold, the top two vote-getters will proceed to a runoff in the Nov. 3 general election.

Here is a look at the candidates in alphabetical order.

Heather Kimball

Kimball, 54, is serving on the County Council full time. She is a Ph.D. student in Public Administration and Policy at Old Dominion University, where her dissertation research focuses on how Indigenous legal and governance frameworks can be integrated into modern local government.

Looking back over the past six years on the council, Kimball said she is proud of the tangible improvements she’s delivered for the community. They include making housing more affordable by expanding opportunities for accessory dwelling units, creating a resident preference program for County affordable housing, streamlining permitting, and regulating illegal short-term vacation rentals to help preserve housing for local families.

She also led efforts to increase homeowner and kūpuna property tax exemptions, advance tax relief for farmers, strengthen agricultural preservation, secure the county’s share of the Transient Accommodations Tax, create the Animal Control and Protection Agency and create the Office of Sustainability, Climate, Equity, and Resilience.

She said she’s also worked to improve transparency and accountability in government; support police, fire and civil defense agencies; and secure funding for critical infrastructure projects throughout District 1, including the Honokaʻa Pool and Papaʻaloa Gym, the Laupāhoehoe Transfer Station, Kolekole Park, various bridges and other long-overdue community maintenance projects.

Kimball said she is most proud of the youth civic engagement programs she’s developed in working with Hawaiʻi Job Challenge Academy, Full Life and Hawaiʻi Green Growth. The programs teach students how local government works, how public policy is made, and how every person can make a meaningful difference in their community.

“I believe one of the greatest responsibilities we have as elected officials is to prepare the next generation to inherit our democracy,” she said. “In these programs we trained students, connected them with public leaders, and launched the Hawaiʻi County Youth Congress, where students researched issues, debated legislation, and experienced firsthand what it means to participate in representative government.”

If elected to a final term, Kimball plans to introduce a property tax circuit breaker program that protects low-income kūpuna from being taxed out of their homes as property values continue to rise.

“Seniors who have spent decades building our communities should never have to worry about losing their homes because they can no longer afford their property taxes,” she said. “I also want to expand affordable housing opportunities by amending the county subdivision code to allow portions of appropriate county-owned properties to be partitioned for affordable housing projects.”

Kimball said she is excited to be part of developing RX Keiki, a guaranteed income pilot program that would provide expectant mothers with a $1,500 payment during pregnancy followed by $500 per month throughout a child’s first year of life. The program will be funded with private money and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds.

She wants to move forward with the Hāmākua Coast Heritage Trail, creating a connected recreational and cultural trail system that celebrates the coast’s history while expanding outdoor recreation, supporting local businesses, and creating new economic opportunities for the rural communities.

Kimball is also committed to resolving longstanding issues surrounding a vacant property and encampment in Honokaʻa that is a wildfire risk.

“I also plan to introduce wildfire mitigation legislation that incentivizes private landowners to undertake good fire prevention practices,” Kimball said. “We know that defensible space, fuel reduction, and responsible land management reduce wildfire risk. Our policies should encourage and reward those efforts.”

Kimball plans to introduce a Wahi Pana Land Use bill, which would weave together traditional legal frameworks of kapu and kanawai with the Hawai‘i County land use system. Rather than relying solely on regulation, the proposal would recognize culturally significant places while providing meaningful tax incentives and development benefits to landowners who voluntarily become partners in stewardship.

“I believe we can better protect our natural and cultural resources by working with property owners,” she said.

BJ Penn

Penn, a UFC Hall of Famer, ran unsuccessfully for governor of Hawaiʻi as a Republican in 2022.

In 2024, he ran unsuccessfully for the District 1 seat.

In 2025, he had multiple arrests and legal issues that have included family-related incidents and a restraining order.

He is currently facing a third-degree assault charge, a misdemeanor, after allegedly punching and kicking a man outside a home in Hilo. A judge recently found him mentally fit to stand trial.

Renato “Ren” del Rosario

Del Rosario, 58, is a retired entrepreneur and former business owner, building a career in sales and marketing. He co-founded and was vice president of a computer network integration company in Southern California.

After selling the company, his family relocated to the Big Island and settled in Honomu, along the Hāmākua Coast, where they maintain a small farm, growing fruits and vegetables to help provide for family, neighbors and friends.

He is running for officer for the first time because he believes District 1 needs better leadership.

“I want to be the voice that represents District 1,” del Rosario said. “I will be present, listen to the community, speak for the community, and fight for the community in the council office.”

Del Rosario has several priorities, starting with infrastructure that works for Hāmākua. That includes safer and better-maintained roads; reliable water systems for homes, farms and businesses; and stronger, more consistent internet and communication services.

He also is committed to business development and local opportunities. That includes cutting unnecessary red tape that delays or discourages new and expanding businesses; supporting county-level assistance to guide entrepreneurs through permits and requirements; encouraging reuse of existing buildings before new construction; and advocating for island-wide policies that make it easier to do business locally.

Del Rosario wants to keep Hāmākua liveable by supporting practical housing solutions that respect rural scale and infrastructure limits. He wants to cut red tape that drives up construction costs and delays needed projects.

He plans to advocate for infrastructure and policies that protect agricultural water access and streamline the county process for small and diversified farms. Del Rosario wants to ensure county decisions are made that strengthen ʻāina-based livelihoods.

Del Rosario said he also is committed to advocating for emergency resources that match the rural needs of the area, including improved coordination and access during storms, fires and outages. He plans to push for clear and consistent public updates when emergencies occur as well as strengthen preparedness planning across communities.

Previous Big Island Now election stories:

What you need to know about voting in Hawai‘i County for the Aug. 8 primary election

Who is running for Hawai‘i County Council? 29 candidates meet Tuesday filing deadline

District 2: District 2 incumbent for Hawai‘i County Council faces 4 challengers

District 5: District 5 candidates for Hawaiʻi County Council bring distinct knowledge, experiences to race

District 6: Candidates for Ka‘ū District seat on Hawai‘i County Council talk priorities for rural and remote area

District 7: 3 candidates running for open Kona District County Council seat talk housing, parks, infrastructure

Districts 8 and 9: These seats are uncontested.