In 1996, Baptiste, then manager of the Kaua'i War Memorial Convention Hall and head of an islandwide park beautification program, was elected to the Kaua'i County Council.
Baptiste served as a member of the council for six years before running for mayor to succeed Republican Maryanne Kusaka, who was ineligible to run again due to term limits.
In the 2002 mayoral election, Baptiste faced two fellow councilmembers, Democrats Ron Kouchi and Randal Valenciano.
In the September primary election, Baptiste received 38% of the vote, Kouchi received 35%, and Valenciano won 21%, allowing Baptiste and Kouchi to advance to the runoff.
In the runoff Baptiste defeated Kouchi, winning 12,174 votes to Kouchi's 10,517.

In 2006, Baptiste avoided a runoff by two votes (he needed fifty percent of the vote plus one vote to win), joking, "We had one vote more than we needed to win.
That's the cushion."

Baptiste died while in office of a heart attack on June 22, 2008.
He was succeeded by his former deputy, Bernard Carvalho, who won a special election to complete Baptiste's term.
In 1996, Baptiste, then manager of the Kaua'i War Memorial Convention Hall and head of an islandwide park beautification program, was elected to the Kaua'i County Council. Baptiste served as a member of the council for six years before running for mayor to succeed Republican Maryanne Kusaka, who was ineligible to run again due to term limits. In the 2002 mayoral election, Baptiste faced two fellow councilmembers, Democrats Ron Kouchi and Randal Valenciano. In the September primary election, Baptiste received 38% of the vote, Kouchi received 35%, and Valenciano won 21%, allowing Baptiste and Kouchi to advance to the runoff. In the runoff Baptiste defeated Kouchi, winning 12,174 votes to Kouchi's 10,517.
In 2006, Baptiste avoided a runoff by two votes (he needed fifty percent of the vote plus one vote to win), joking, "We had one vote more than we needed to win. That's the cushion."
Baptiste died while in office of a heart attack on June 22, 2008. He was succeeded by his former deputy, Bernard Carvalho, who won a special election to complete Baptiste's term.
Bryan Baptiste