Maui County's mayoral election is tightening up as both candidates make their closing arguments before Election Day, a race that matters most to residents still rebuilding after the wildfires.

• Incumbent Mayor Richard Bissen is running on his record, pointing to nearly 900 affordable homes built during his first term and promising thousands more, with water rights framed as the key to unlocking future housing.
• Challenger and County Council member is pushing cost-of-living relief and a different approach to housing that protects existing residents' land-use rights rather than just building more units.
• Wildfire recovery remains a major issue, with most people who lost homes or businesses now on a path to rebuilding, though the challenger argues the county needs to move faster, especially in the hard-hit commercial district.
• Rebuilding is tangled up in red tape — shoreline rules, state historic preservation requirements, and aging infrastructure under the roads are all slowing the reopening of the historic Front Street area.
• Voter turnout in Maui County is lagging behind the rest of Hawaii, prompting both campaigns to make a final push to get people to the polls.

Outlook: The outcome likely hinges on turnout, with voters set to decide between continuity under Bissen and a change in direction just days from now.