Hannibal Tavares

Who was Hannibal Tavares?

Hannibal M. Tavares was an American politician. Tavares served as the Mayor of Maui from 1979 until 1991. He holds the distinction of being the longest-serving Mayor of Maui in history.

Tavares was born in Makawao, Maui, Hawaii, on September 24, 1919.

In 1978, Maui Mayor Elmer Cravalho won re-election for a second term. However, Cravalho suddenly left office in 1979, only months after winning re-election. The vacancy left by Cravalho's resignation necessitated a special mayoral election. In October 1979, Hannibal Tavares won the special mayoral election to complete the remainder of Cravalho's term.

Tavares went on to re-election and became Maui's longest serving Mayor to date. Tavares retired from office on January 2, 1991, and was succeeded by Republican Linda Lingle.

Tavares' daughter, Charmaine Tavares, served as the Mayor of Maui from January 2, 2007, to January 2, 2011. Both are the descendants of Portuguese immigrants who settled in Hawaii.

He died at Maui Memorial Hospital in Wailuku, Hawaii, on January 17, 1998, at the age of 78.