Judge Blocks Waters’ Third Term Bid | Honolulu News

A judge just ruled that Honolulu City Council Chair Tommy Waters can’t run for a third straight term in District Four — a bombshell decision less than two weeks before the primary. Challenger Trevor Ozawa, who argued Waters violated the city’s two-term limit, celebrated the ruling, calling it a victory for voters’ charter. Waters, a lawyer himself, plans to appeal, insisting the people should decide. The ruling throws the election into chaos, with officials scrambling to determine how it affects already-mailed ballots — and whether votes for Waters will be counted. Ozawa, who’s running on a platform of term limits and fresh leadership, said he’d honor the same rules if elected. Despite Waters’ massive fundraising lead — over $321,000 to Ozawa’s $22,000 — the race was already one of Honolulu’s most watched, with the legal battle centered on whether Waters’ 2019 special election term counts toward his limit. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/c6051e11236d23c3