The Waimea Community Association will hold candidate forums on Tuesday and Wednesday, June 23 and 24, featuring the candidates for County Council District 9 (Waimea and Kohala),  County Council District 1 (part of Waimea down the Hamakua Coast into North Hilo) and the Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney.  The forums will be live, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic will not be “in person” forums but online at 5 p.m. each of the two nights, at facebook.com/WaimeaCommunityAssociation.  They will then be posted online as You Tube videos for later viewing.

The election is Saturday, August 8, 2020, but this year, all voting is by mail so if registered, you will receive a ballot in the mail and must mail it at least 3 (preferably 5) days prior to election day to ensure it is in the County Election office by Saturday, August 8.  There will be drop boxes around the island.  There will also be two voter service centers (Aupuni Center in Hilo, West Hawaii Civic Center) for those who need more assistance and must use a voting machine, or those who wish to register and vote on the same day.   All the voting details are online at elections.hawaii.gov

The County Council races and the County Prosecuting Attorney race (as well as the County Mayor race) are nonpartisan races.  That means that the candidates are not representing any party, and most importantly, can be elected outright in the August 8 election if any candidate gets more than 50% of the vote.  Although the August 8 race is officially “The Primary,” in the nonpartisan races there may be a winning candidate who would then not even be listed on the General Election ballot on November 3.  That is why it is so important that people register and vote in the August election.

On Tuesday night, June 23 at 5 p.m., County Council District 9 candidates:

Philip K. “Ippy” Aiona

Ranae Keane

Herbert (Tim) Richards (incumbent)

As the transition happens from Council candidates to Prosecuting Attorney candidates, Rosemarie Muller from the League of Women Voters will discuss the new voting processes.  There will also be a review of the responsibilities of the Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney.

County Prosecuting Attorney Candidates  at 6 p.m.

Jared Kamakakaulani Auna

Christopher R. Bridges

Kelden Braun Akoni Waltjen

 

On Wednesday night, June 24, at 5 p.m, County Council District 1 (Waimea, Hamakua coast, North Hilo):

Elroy C. Juan

Heather L. Kimball

Jaerick Medeiros-Garcia

Jaclyn L. Moore

Bethany Joy Morrison

Monique Cobb Adams Perreira

Dominic Yagong

Note, there is no incumbent in County Council District 1–incumbent Valerie Poindexter has term-limited out and cannot run again.