You know what they say. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about what’s going on with your government. Well, if you want to have a say on which elected officials represent you, you’ve still got time to register and
You know what they say. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain about what’s going on with your government. Well, if you want to have a say on which elected officials represent you, you’ve still got time to register and cast your ballot in the primary election on Aug. 9, but time is short.
First, here’s the basics: The Office of Elections and County Clerks of Hawaii remind folks that the last day to register to vote in the primary election is Thursday. To be eligible to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Hawaii and at least 18 years old. Hawaii law allows for 16-year-olds to pre-register, but you must be 18 on Election Day to vote.
Registered voters — and there are more than 700,000 of them who call Hawaii home — that have changed their name or moved since the last election should re-register before the voter registration deadline. Voter registration forms are available at post offices, public libraries, county clerk’s offices, and the Office of Elections website, www.hawaii.gov/elections. The completed form must be turned to the county clerk by 4:30 p.m. or postmarked by July 10.
Besides registering to vote, of course, you want to be an informed voter. There’s a terrific chance to learn about local candidates at 6 p.m. Wednesday at Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall. The Kauai Filipino Chamber of Commerce is posting the political form for candidates for the Office of Mayor, County Council and state House of Representative District 15. Candidates will be given time to say something about why they are running and will be asked question by the moderator.
Considering the number of candidates seeking office — 33 Kauai residents have thrown their hat in the ring to run for 11 state and county seats up for re-election this year, including all 11 incumbents — it’s clear there’s a lot at stake in this year’s election, all the more reason why it’s critical residents do a little homework on candidates before casting their ballots.
Here’s a list of who’s running for what on Kauai:
Twenty Kauai County Council candidates will face off in this year’s primary election, including all seven incumbents: Jay Furfaro; JoAnn Yukimura; Mason Chock Sr.; Gary Hooser; Tim Bynum; Mel Rapozo and Ross Kagawa. The remaining candidates running for County Council this year are: Arthur Brun; Felicia Cowden; Bill “Billy” DeCosta; Joanne Georgi; Ron Horoshko; Joseph Kaauwai Jr.; Ernest “Ernie” Kanekoa; Arryl Kaneshiro; Sandra “Sandi” Kato-Klutke; KipuKai Kualii; Tiana Laranio; Arnold Leong; and Darryl Perry.
The 14 County Council candidates who obtain the highest number of votes in the Aug. 9 primary election — two for each vacancy — will then vie in the November general election for a seat on the seven-member board.
Three mayoral candidates — Dustin Barca of Kilauea, Debralynn “Mizdebz” DeSilva Carveiro of Hanapepe and Curtis Lake of Kapaa — will take on incumbent Bernard Carvalho Jr. in the primary election. The two mayoral candidates who obtain the highest number of votes in the primary election will then continue on to the general election.
Unlike the 2012 election cycle when James “Jimmy” Kunane Tokioka ran unopposed for his state House District 15 seat, the five-term incumbent will be challenged by Dylan Hooser in the primary election for the Democratic Party’s general election ticket.
Democratic incumbent Derek Kawakami will face off against Republican candidate Jonathan Hoomanawanui in the general election.
The House District 16 seat is held by two-term Democratic incumbent Daynette “Dee” Morikawa. All four candidates, two Democrats and two Republicans, vying for that state House seat will face off in the primary election — Morikawa and Thomas “Butch” Kahawai for the Democratic Party and Vince Flores and Victoria “Vickie” Franks for the Republican Party — before one candidate with the most votes from each party moves on to the general election.
So, if you’re happy with the current Kauai council and mayor and state legislators on Kauai, vote. If you’re not happy with them, vote. That way, you did your duty — and you now are perfectly right to complain if your government lets you down.
