Every two years, League gets calls for League to sponsor candidate forums, oftentimes by candidates. League often declines because we can’t find volunteers.
Then Deborah Winter, LWVHC Secretary and fellow Kohala resident, offered co-sponsoring with a group who has worked with the League and whose members who could help. Sustainable Kohala (SK), a North Kohala nonprofit that supports community self-reliance and civic engagement, has twice before co-sponsored candidate forums, both with great success.
So off we went!
Which races? We focused on Primary races on North Kohala voters’ ballots. Six contests require residency in Hawaii Island or North Kohala. These have 18 candidates. Because not all 18 would fit in a forum format we set two more tests: (1) the contest has more than two candidates and (2) the contest could be decided in the Primary. (Witness Harry Kim’s mayoral win in 2016.)
Two contests qualified: County Mayor and County Council District 9. The forum was set:
- Date: Wednesday, July 24
- Time: 4:00 pm – 6:15 pm
- (Council @ 4:15 pm; Mayor @ 5:15 pm)
- Place: Kohala Resilience HUB Barn, 55-514 Hawi Rd, Hawi
The site is being provided by Kohala Resilience HUB, a local nonprofit, at no cost. We are working on getting it livestreamed on local Radio KNKR 96.1 FM.
Finally, we invited seven candidates for State Senate 4, State Rep 8, and OHA Hawaii Resident Trustee, to give a two-minute speech (candidate statement) before or between the forums. Their presence allows them to meet and mingle with Kohala voters.
So does League or doesn’t League put on candidate forums? Answer? Maybe not alone. As with democracy, it’s a team effort.
by Donna Oba