Representative Elle Cochran currently serves as the representative for House District 14, West Maui which includes the areas of Wai'ehu, Waihe'e, Kahakuloa, Honokahua, Kahana, Maahinahina Camp, Ka'anapali, Lahaina, Lahainaluna, Olowalu and portions of Maa'alaea.
Born in Wailuku, Representative Cochran has lived in Lahaina for her entire life. Prior to becoming a Hawaii State Representative, she served as a member of Maui County Council from 2011 through 2018. She is the founder of the Save Honolua Coalition and was a member of The National Ocean Council under the Obama administration. Over the years, Representative Cochran has also volunteered with Maui Friends of the Library and served as consultant to Na Mea'Ike'Ia. Rep. Cochran is a black belt in Taekwondo and enjoys surfing Lahaina waters in her free time.
Representative Cochran is a strong believer in real-world answers to the complex problems West Maui faces. As such, she is not afraid to work across party lines to solve the issues that affect her district. Representative Cochran has maintained her position on sustainability and environmental responsibilities and believes that environmentally favorable solutions can and must coincide with job creation and preservation. Representative Cochran also supports a diversified economy, in which the workforce is treated fairly, and affordable housing reflects workforce wages.
As a Maui County Council member, Representative Cochran championed a measure banning the sale of sunscreen that contain oxybenzone and octinoxate. The measure was a great step towards protecting Maui County reefs. With community support she also passed measures against the use of polystyrene, and a measure requiring training on Native Hawaiian legal history for each Planning Commission. Cochran secured funding for services to assist in better enforcement of short-term rental regulations, initiated a pesticide free parks pilot program which eventually went county wide, and passed a moratorium on sand mining in Central Maui.