Bernard Carvalho
Encyclopedia
Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr. is an American
politician
and former football player
, who has served as the Mayor of Kauai
in the U.S. state of Hawaii
since December 1, 2008. Carvalho was elected in November 2008 to complete the unexpired term of former Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste
, who died in office in June 2008.
island to Bernard P. Carvalho, Sr. and Priscilla Hanohano. He graduated from Kapaa High School
in 1979. Carvalho then enrolled at the University of Hawaii
on a full football
scholarship
. He earned a bachelor's degree
in communications and public relations
in 1983.
Carvalho was drafted
by the Miami Dolphins
in 1984 shortly after graduating from college. He played in the NFL
for the Dolphins for two seasons. He returned to Kauai after leaving the Dolphins in order to get married.
Carvalho is married to the former Regina "Gina" Godinez, who is originally from Oceanside, California
. The couple have three children, Bronson, Brennan
and Brittney.
In addition to his political and football careers, Carvalho has also held positions in the tourism
and airline industries on Kauai.
appointed Carvalho as Director of the Offices of Community Assistance in December 2002. He oversaw several Kauai County government agencies, including transportation, housing, recreation
, and the elderly. He is credited with the expansion of The Kauai Bus service on the island.
In 2007, Mayor Baptiste appointed Carvalho to create and implement the new Kauai Department of Parks and Recreation as its first director. The new department had been authorized by voters in the 2006 Hawaii general election. He remained head of the Department of Parks and Recreation until Mayor Baptiste's death in June 2008.
Carvalho won the nonpartisan
mayoral primary with 7,143 votes, or 39.8% of the vote. Former Kauai Mayor JoAnn Yukimura, who has previously served as Mayor of Kauai from 1988 until 1992, also qualified for the general election by finishing in second place with 5,372 votes (29.9%). Mel Rapozo and Rolf Bieber finished in third and fourth place respectively.
On November 4, 2008, Carvalho was elected Mayor of Kauai in a special election held to fill the remaining two years of Baptiste's unexpired term in office. Carvalho defeated JoAnn Yukimura in the 2008 election. He was sworn into office in Lihue on December 1, 2008.
Carvalho announced his intention to seek a full four-year term in the 2010 mayoral election. Carvalho easily won the nonpartisan
mayoral primary election
held on September 18, 2010, garnering 13,024 votes, equivalent to 75.7% of the vote. Carvalho's only primary challenger, Diana LaBedz, a substance abuse
counselor
who campaigned against plastic bottle
s and genetically modified organisms, came in a distant second in the primary with 2,548 votes, or 14.8%. Under Kauai County law, the two top vote earners in the primary, Carvalho and LaBedz, automatically advance to the mayoral general election.
Bernard Carvalho faced opponent Diana LaBedz in the mayoral general election
on November 2, 2010. Carvalho easily won re-election to a full four-year term by taking 17,743 votes, while LaBedz placed a distant second with 3,678 votes. Mayor Carvalho was sworn into his first full term on Wednesday December 1, 2010, at Kauai War Memorial Hall.
Carvalho and Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi jointly endorsed former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann
in the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial primary
over Hannemann's challenger, former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie
. Despite the endorsements, Abercrombie went on to definitively defeat Hannemann in the primary election
, 60 percent to 38 percent.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and former football player
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, who has served as the Mayor of Kauai
Mayor of Kauai
The Mayor of Kauai is the chief executive officer of the County of Kauai in the state of Hawaii. He or she has municipal jurisdiction over the islands of Kauai and Niihau. Bernard P. Carvalho, Jr. was elected on November 4, 2008 as the...
in the U.S. state of Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
since December 1, 2008. Carvalho was elected in November 2008 to complete the unexpired term of former Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste
Bryan J. Baptiste
Bryan J. Baptiste was an American politician and member of the Republican politician. He served as mayor of the County of Kauai in Hawaii from 2002 until his death.Baptiste was born in Lihue, Kauai...
, who died in office in June 2008.
Early life
Carvalho was born on KauaiKauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
island to Bernard P. Carvalho, Sr. and Priscilla Hanohano. He graduated from Kapaa High School
Kapaa High School
Kapaa High School is a public high school based in Kapaa, Hawaii on the island of Kauai.-History:Established in 1883 under the reign of King David Kalakaua it was first built directly above Kealia River and then moved up the hill to where it currently stands on Mailihuna Hill...
in 1979. Carvalho then enrolled at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system...
on a full football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
scholarship
Athletic scholarship
An athletic scholarship is a form of scholarship to attend a college or university awarded to an individual based predominantly on his or her ability to play in a sport...
. He earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in communications and public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
in 1983.
Carvalho was drafted
1984 NFL Draft
The 1984 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 1-2, 1984. No teams elected to claim any players in the regular supplemental draft that...
by the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in 1984 shortly after graduating from college. He played in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
for the Dolphins for two seasons. He returned to Kauai after leaving the Dolphins in order to get married.
Carvalho is married to the former Regina "Gina" Godinez, who is originally from Oceanside, California
Oceanside, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Oceanside had a population of 167,086. The population density was 3,961.8 people per square mile...
. The couple have three children, Bronson, Brennan
Brennen Carvalho
Brennen Michael-Kapono Carvalho is an American football center who is currently a member of the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena Football League. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Portland State.-External links:**...
and Brittney.
In addition to his political and football careers, Carvalho has also held positions in the tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
and airline industries on Kauai.
Kauai government
Carvalho was hired by the Kauai Department of Public Works Recreation as an entry level employee in 1985. Former Mayor Bryan J. BaptisteBryan J. Baptiste
Bryan J. Baptiste was an American politician and member of the Republican politician. He served as mayor of the County of Kauai in Hawaii from 2002 until his death.Baptiste was born in Lihue, Kauai...
appointed Carvalho as Director of the Offices of Community Assistance in December 2002. He oversaw several Kauai County government agencies, including transportation, housing, recreation
Recreation
Recreation is an activity of leisure, leisure being discretionary time. The "need to do something for recreation" is an essential element of human biology and psychology. Recreational activities are often done for enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure and are considered to be "fun"...
, and the elderly. He is credited with the expansion of The Kauai Bus service on the island.
In 2007, Mayor Baptiste appointed Carvalho to create and implement the new Kauai Department of Parks and Recreation as its first director. The new department had been authorized by voters in the 2006 Hawaii general election. He remained head of the Department of Parks and Recreation until Mayor Baptiste's death in June 2008.
Mayor of Kauai
Carvalho announced his candidacy for Mayor of Kauai on July 8, 2008, to fill the remaining two years of former Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste's unexpired term. Baptiste had died in office on June 22, 2008. Carvalho made the announcement at the Historic County Building with supporters and members of the Baptiste family, including Baptiste's widow, Annette Baptiste.Carvalho won the nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
mayoral primary with 7,143 votes, or 39.8% of the vote. Former Kauai Mayor JoAnn Yukimura, who has previously served as Mayor of Kauai from 1988 until 1992, also qualified for the general election by finishing in second place with 5,372 votes (29.9%). Mel Rapozo and Rolf Bieber finished in third and fourth place respectively.
On November 4, 2008, Carvalho was elected Mayor of Kauai in a special election held to fill the remaining two years of Baptiste's unexpired term in office. Carvalho defeated JoAnn Yukimura in the 2008 election. He was sworn into office in Lihue on December 1, 2008.
Carvalho announced his intention to seek a full four-year term in the 2010 mayoral election. Carvalho easily won the nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
mayoral primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
held on September 18, 2010, garnering 13,024 votes, equivalent to 75.7% of the vote. Carvalho's only primary challenger, Diana LaBedz, a substance abuse
Substance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
counselor
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed professional counselor is a licensure for mental health professionals. The exact title varies by state, but the other most frequently used title is licensed mental health counselor . Several U.S. states, including Illinois, Maine, and Tennessee, have implemented a two-tier system whereby...
who campaigned against plastic bottle
Plastic bottle
A plastic bottle is a bottle constructed of plastic, with a neck that is narrower than its real body and an opening at the top. The mouth of the bottle is normally sealed with a plastic bottle cap. Plastic bottles are typically used to store liquids such as water, soft drinks, motor oil, cooking...
s and genetically modified organisms, came in a distant second in the primary with 2,548 votes, or 14.8%. Under Kauai County law, the two top vote earners in the primary, Carvalho and LaBedz, automatically advance to the mayoral general election.
Bernard Carvalho faced opponent Diana LaBedz in the mayoral general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
on November 2, 2010. Carvalho easily won re-election to a full four-year term by taking 17,743 votes, while LaBedz placed a distant second with 3,678 votes. Mayor Carvalho was sworn into his first full term on Wednesday December 1, 2010, at Kauai War Memorial Hall.
Carvalho and Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi jointly endorsed former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann
Mufi Hannemann
Muliufi Francis "Mufi" Hannemann is an American politician. He is the former Mayor of Honolulu. Hannemann has served as a special assistant in Washington, D.C., with the Department of the Interior, where he was selected for a White House fellowship in the Reagan administration under Vice President...
in the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial primary
Hawaii gubernatorial election, 2010
The Hawaii gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on November 2, 2010 to determine the next Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii. The winning candidates will serve a four-year term from 2010 to 2014. Incumbent Republican Governor Linda Lingle was term-limited in 2010 and not eligible to run...
over Hannemann's challenger, former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie
Neil Abercrombie
Neil Abercrombie is the 7th and current Governor of Hawaii. He was the Democratic U.S. Representative of the First Congressional District of Hawaii which comprises urban Honolulu. He served in Congress from 1986 to 1987 and from 1991 to 2010 when he resigned to successfully run for governor...
. Despite the endorsements, Abercrombie went on to definitively defeat Hannemann in the primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
, 60 percent to 38 percent.