Kaipo Asing doesn't have a Web page.

He isn't on MySpace or Facebook. While some politicians lovingly post their own flattering biographies on Wikipedia (you know who you are and, yes, it is obvious), Kaipo Asing is virtually off the grid. His online presence is solely in news stories, and mostly about being named interim mayor last week following the death of Kaua'i Mayor Bryan Baptiste. Asing's is the only name on the Kaua'i County Council's Web page without a "contact me" e-mail link.

Pretty low-profile for a man who was voted unanimously by his peers on the county council to succeed Baptiste in office.

William "Kaipo" Asing, 77, who is called William only in legal documents and news articles, has been on the council for 24 years. Election after election, he would spend the least (almost nothing) on his campaign and come out with the most votes. He didn't buy campaign advertising, he didn't pass out keychains or visors with his name on them; he held a sign on the side of the road and waved to passing cars and that was that. Something like Big Island Mayor Harry Kim, but even Harry Kim has a Wikipedia entry.

(On that note, Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares has a fancy Web site and Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann has everything but a greatest hits album, but give him time.)

To call Asing "old school" wouldn't be accurate, because he's from a time before that. He's a classic Kaua'i politician, retired from the phone company, hair always perfect but never too perfect, work boots that have seen actual work and a nice aloha shirt under a suit jacket. He's the kind of man who can wear the big Kaua'i maile without constantly fussing with the leaves around his neck. A guy who walks like he has somewhere important to go.

In 1998, after years of fending off requests, Asing finally ran for mayor. It was something of a free-for-all, as it was the first time the mayoral election became nonpartisan. The primary election lumped all the candidates together, with a winner being declared outright if one person got more than half the votes. For the first time in a long time, he was not the top vote-getter. Mary Thronas edged out Asing for a spot on the general election ballot. Two years later, undaunted, he was back on the council.

And now, he is mayor. Interim, at least.

Meanwhile, JoAnn Yukimura has a Web site and Mel Rapozo has a blog. Both council members have declared their intention to run for mayor in a special election in September.

So can a rotary dial, old-time telephone company man make it in a digital world? Well, he just did.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.