West Maui No-Show: Rep Misses Most House Days As Election Nears

West Maui Rep. Elle Cochran has missed more House floor days than any other lawmaker this session, logging 11 absences out of 55 floor days. That roughly 20% no-show rate is a notable drop from her 2025 total, but it still leaves West Maui with an in-person representative less often than other districts. With her mid March party switch and the primary season approaching, the attendance tally has become a live political issue back home.

Attendance by the numbers

Official records show Cochran was absent for 11 of 55 session days so far this year, the largest total among House members, according to the House of Representatives daily session attendance sheets. The attendance log is the baseline for roll calls and internal tallies used by reporters and watchdog projects tracking who is on the floor.

Her reply and per-diem totals

When asked for an explanation, Cochran texted a reporter, “I’m busy; don’t bother me,” according to Maui Now. That story also quotes House communications director Cathy Lee saying Cochran has claimed 86 days of per diem since opening day, totaling $25,370, and that she did not submit per-diem claims for a five-day Neighbor Island recess.

How this compares to last year

By contrast, independent tracking and reporting during the 2025 session found Cochran missed far more floor days, roughly 51 of 60, and was recorded as missing more votes than any other lawmaker, Civil Beat’s Digital Democracy analysis shows. Those absences and continued per-diem payments drew heavy scrutiny and helped prompt a House policy tightening on excused versus unexcused absences.

Party switch, GOP gain and challengers

In mid March Cochran left the Democratic Party and joined the House Republican caucus, a move that brought the GOP to double-digit representation in the 51-member House for the first time in about 20 years, according to Spectrum. Spectrum reports Cochran said the Lahaina wildfire aftermath motivated the realignment. At least one challenger has already declared for District 14: Lahaina community organizer Pā‘ele Kiakona announced a Green-party run this spring, according to Hawaii News Now.

Why it matters to West Maui

Attendance matters in tight budget and recovery debates because presence on the floor, and in conference committee, can sway funding and policy outcomes that affect rebuilding in Lahaina. The state’s Commission on Salaries has also recommended phased raises that would push rank-and-file pay toward about $97,896 in 2027 and lift yearly pay further through 2030, per the Department of Human Resources Development and Maui Now, which complicates the optics of per-diem payments when lawmakers are frequently off the floor.

What’s next

The contest in District 14 is taking shape as voters weigh Cochran’s record of absenteeism alongside her argument that staying on Maui is part of serving wildfire-impacted constituents. Expect the attendance question, plus the party switch and per-diem math, to feature prominently as candidates make their case in the months ahead.