Eight candidates for the Hawaii County Council, including five incumbents, qualified for and received comprehensive public funding for their 2010 campaigns, according to data released by the Campaign Spending Commission.

A total of $147,261.43 in public money went into their campaigns, including 95% ($140,187.43) during the primary. Only two candidates will continue to receive any public funding in the general election.

The is the first year of a pilot project in full public financing authorized by the Legislature in 2008. It is due to expire following the 2014 election.

Three of the publicly funded incumbents were elected outright in the primary election by gaining more than 50% of the total vote, including Donald Ikeda, (District 2), J Yoshimoto (District 3), and Pete Hoffman (District 9). Yoshimoto was unopposed, but still qualified for $6,904.80 in public funds.

In Council District 5, publicly-funded incumbent Emily Naeole-Beason placed second in the primary and faces a general election runoff against Fred Blas, who ran with private funds.

Naeole-Beason received $9,826 in public funding for the primary, which she lost to Blas, who reported spending only $4,025. As of September 3, the last reporting period before the primary, Blas had a campaign deficit of $2,856. But Blas led the district with 1,466 votes to Naeole-Beason’s 1,329 votes.

In the District 6 race, newcomer Brittany Smart led a field of four candidates, followed by the incumbent, Guy Enriques. Both Smart and Enriques qualified for public funding in the primary and will face off in the General Election.

Smart is the only publicly-funded challenger to have a chance to be elected, although proponents of the public financing project hoped it would open the door to more community-based candidates.

Candidates qualifying for public funds

Election results (**=incumbent, $=publicly funded)