Elmer Cravalho

Maui County mayor and member of the Hawaii House of Representatives

What is Elmer Cravalho known for?

Elmer Franklin Cravalho, born on February 19, 1926 in Paia, Hawaii, was an influential American politician and a proud member of the Democratic Party. He also had a career in teaching, having received his bachelor's degree in education from the University of Hawaiʻi in 1947, before venturing into politics. He was also involved in various fields such as insurance, banking, farming, and ranching.

Cravalho began his political journey in 1955, serving as a member of Hawaii's territorial House of Representatives. Notably, he was the first Speaker of the Hawaii House of Representatives following statehood, from 1959-1967. On top of that, he was a delegate at the 1960 Democratic National Convention.

Cravalho's most significant political role was as the first ever Mayor of Maui, serving from 1969 to 1979. His tenure saw great progress and development for Maui. Among his achievements was the development of the waterline from Wailuku to Wailea, which in turn facilitated the development of Kihei. He also played a crucial role in the formation of Maui Economic Opportunity Inc., a non-profit organization chartered in 1965, which aimed to help low-income individuals, the elderly, children and youth, persons with disabilities, immigrants, and other disadvantaged people.

After winning re-election for a second term in the 1978 election, Cravalho abruptly left office in 1979. Hannibal Tavares, a fellow Democrat, won a special election in October 1979 to complete the remainder of Cravalho's term. Cravalho passed away on June 27, 2016.