Prior to 1968, the county had an elected Board of Supervisors, which preceded the County Council, with the chairman serving as the Executive Officer for the County of Hawaiʻi. Beginning in 1968 the voters elected its first mayor, Shunichi Kimura, who had been the chairman of the Board of Supervisors.

The Mayor serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the County of Hawaiʻi.

Chairmen of the Board of Supervisors

1905-1908
John T. Moir

1909-1910
W. A. Todd

1911-1913
James D. Lewis

1914-1915
David Ewaliko

1916-1923
Samuel Kauhane

1924-1944
Samuel Mahuka Spencer

1945-1948
Clem A. Akina

1949-1959
James Kealoha

1959-1962
Thomas K. “Lofty” Cook

1963-1964
Helene H. Hale

1965-1968
Shunichi Kimura

Mayors for the County of Hawaiʻi past and present

1968-1974

Shunichi Kimura

1974
Bruce McCall
(Kimura’s managing director became mayor after Kimura resigned to become a 3rd Circuit Court judge.)

1974-1984

Herbert T. Matayoshi

1984
Megumi Kon
(Matayoshi’s managing director became mayor after Matayoshi resigned to run for Hawaii State Senate.)

1984-1988

Dante K. Carpenter

1988-1990a

Bernard K. Akana

1990

Larry S. Tanimoto

(Akana’s managing director became mayor after Akana’s death.)

1990-1992

Lorraine R. Inouye

1992-2000

Stephen K. Yamashiro

2000-2008

Harry Kim

2008-2016

William P. “Billy” Kenoi

2016-2020

Harry Kim

2020-present

Mitchell D. Roth