Mufi’s out, Caldwell’s in

HONOLULU—Mayor Mufi Hannemann today officially resigned from office to comply with a State law that precludes a sitting mayor from running for governor.

Hannemann held his final cabinet meeting after holding office since 2005.

Upon Hannemann’s resignation, City Managing Director Kirk Caldwell became acting mayor, pending a special election in which voters will chose a mayor to serve the two remaining years of Hannemann’s term.

Caldwell said in a statement that he looks forward to working closely with the community and is fully prepared for the challenge of managing Honolulu.

Caldwell previously represented the 24th Representative District in the State House of Representatives from 2002 to 2008. Caldwell resigned from his House seat to run for Ann Kobayashi’s seat on the Honolulu City Council in July 2008—a situation that left him neither seat in the end. Caldwell would later be invited to join Hannemann’s cabinet.