We start our election coverage with two races where there is no incumbent. Former state senator Jill Tokuda and current state representative Patrick Branco are among candidates facing off in the Democratic Primary to replace Kai Kahele in Hawaii’s second congressional district covering rural Oʻahu and the Neighbor Islands. Meanwhile, in the state house, former lawmaker Gary Gill faces Jenna Takenouchi in the Democratic Primary for District 27 representing Pacific Heights and Nuʻuanu.
Other Candidates in the race for U.S. House District 2 (Democratic Primary).
It is a big election year in Hawai’i. Voters will cast ballots for a new governor, two congressional seats including one with no incumbent, a U.S. Senator, mayoral races in Maui and Kauaʻi counties, all 76 seats in the state legislature, county council races and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Who are the front runners?
The special 90-minute episode of Insights on PBS Hawaiʻi will allow the public to submit questions and hear from the final candidates for chief of one of the largest metropolitan police departments in the United States, with more than 2,000 sworn officers and civilian employees and an annual budget of more than $300 million.
How would you grade Hawaiʻi’s legislative session this year? Lawmakers debated key issues including raising the state’s minimum wage, a future management plan for the summit of Mauna Kea, funding for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and more.
Axis deer have been a problem on the islands of Maui County for a while. But lately, the problem has gotten out of control. With no natural predators, there is nothing to control the growth of the herds. There are thousands of deer. As serious drought conditions grow worse, the deer venture out of the hills and other areas they roam in search of food eating anything in sight, damaging farm crops, gardens and native plants leading to erosion problems.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants can have deadly consequences, yet it continues to happen. How can we improve Hawaiʻi's DUI laws?
After more than 30 years in operation, the Waimānalo Gulch Landfill on the west side of Oʻahu is slated to close in 2028. The city needs to figure out where the new landfill will go by the end of this year. A commission charged with picking a new site recently rejected several options that were opposed by the water board due to possible effects on groundwater aquifers. Now what?
Fraud, bribery, misappropriation of funds and conspiracy are some of the charges that state and local officials have been accused of in recent years. What can lawmakers do to fight government corruption more effectively?
The decade-long effort to replace Oʻahu’s outdated and overcrowded jail continues. To date the state has spent nearly 10 million dollars in planning and design for a new prison. Opponents of the project argue that the state needs to focus on criminal justice reforms while proponents argue that a modern solution is needed now for those already incarcerated.