Honolulu City Councilman Breene Hari­moto announced this week that he is forgoing a re-election bid this fall to run for the state Senate 16th District seat.

Meanwhile, Harimoto legislative aide Brandon Ele­fante said he intends to run for the seat his boss is leaving behind.

Harimoto, 59, is a Demo­crat and a lifelong Pearl City resident. He represents Council District VII (Aiea-Pearl City-Halawa) and is chairman of the Council Transportation Committee. He also chairs the Oahu Metropolitan Planning Organization. He first won election to the Council in 2010 so is eligible for a second, consecutive four-year term.

The 16th Senate District encompasses Pearl Harbor, Aiea and Pearl City. The seat is held by Sen. David Ige, who is challenging Gov. Neil Abercrombie for the Demo­cratic nomination for governor this year.

Harimoto said he reached his decision after consulting family and supporters and after prayer and soul-searching.

Prior to being elected to the Council, he served eight years as an elected member of the state Board of Education.

Harimoto is the executive director of a nonprofit and manages a community center.

Elefante, 28, has worked as a legislative aide to Hari­moto for nearly four years. Before that he worked for state Sen. Will Espero. Both Hari­moto and Espero attended Ele­fante’s announcement at Hono­lulu Hale.

Elefante was born and raised in Aiea. Before working in government, he was a teacher and coach at Damien Memorial High School.

Elefante said that he, like Hari­moto, supports the city’s $5.2 billion rail project and maintains that development around rail stations through Aiea, Pearl City and Wai­pahu will revitalize surrounding areas.

City elections are nonpartisan.