by Andrew Walden
Two Hawaii Democratic Party District Committees are following very different paths in selecting lists of three nominees to submit to the Governor who will then pick one from each to replace Reps Yamane and Tokioka who recently resigned from the House to accept appointment to the Green administration.
The secretive HD37 Democratic Committee is meeting tomorrow, Thursday, January 12, 2023, to select nominees to replace Yamane. The only public notice of the HD37 meeting is an announcement posted on HawaiiDemocrats.org/calendar.
UPDATE Jan 12, 2023: HD37 Democratic Committee members voted to forward three nominees to Governor Green:
- Ron Menor -- 15 votes (UPDATE Jan 17, 2023: Ron Menor dead at age 67.)
- Charlotte Nekota -- 11 votes
- Trish LaChica -- 8 votes
- A fourth candidate, Inam Rahman received only one vote and was not forwarded.
(UPDATE Jan 17, 2023: Will HD37 Democrats meet again to nominate a third choice or will Gov Green pick from the two remaining?)
On Kauai, the HD16 Democratic Committee is following a more open process to replace Tokioka, as outlined in today’s Garden Isle.
UPDATE Jan 19, 2023: Kauai HD16 Democrats are submitting the names of Kauai County Councilman Luke Evslin, former County Councilman Mason Chock and Nikki Cristobal, founder and executive director of a nonprofit called Kamawaelualani….
TGI: Kaua‘i Democrats nominate progressive slate for statehouse seat
BACKGROUND: Green Announces Seven New Appointees--Pulls Tokioka and Yamane from House
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HD37 Selection Meeting
from HawaiiDemocrats.org/calendar
The District 37 District Council will be meeting on Zoom on Thursday, January 12 at 6:30 PM to consider nominations to fill the House District 37 vacancy. >>> Zoom link to register
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Kaua‘i Democratic Party accepting applications for Jimmy Tokioka’s statehouse seat
TGI: … The Democratic Party of Kaua‘i announced Monday night that it is accepting applications for the role vacated by longtime state Rep. Jimmy Tokioka, who recently accepted a job as state Department of Transportation Airports Division deputy director in the administration of new Gov. Josh Green.
The Democratic District 16 Council, chaired by Mike Miranda, will submit the names of three candidates to Green, who will choose between the options.
The list of people who have expressed their interest in the role to The Garden Island now includes sitting Kaua‘i County Council member Luke Evslin, Kaua‘i Police Department Assistant Chief Bryson Ponce, and former council Vice Chair Mason Chock….
If Evslin is chosen, his vacant council seat would be filled by a majority vote from remaining County Council members…
Former County Council Member Ross Kagawa, who finished just outside the top seven in the recent County Council election, said he is not seeking the state legislator position, but he would be interested in pursuing a vacant County Council seat created if a current member was chosen for the House vacancy….
Other individuals who may receive consideration for the role are former council Chair Arryl Kaneshiro and nonprofit and community leader Nikki Cristobal…
To apply, candidates must live in the district, which includes portions of the East Side, and need to submit verified signatures from at least five party members also residing in the district. The application includes a series of free-response questions regarding affordable housing, homelessness, public education and climate change, along with a test question about the process of how a bill becomes law at the state Legislature.
Applications are due by Jan. 13. Candidates will be interviewed on Jan. 17, and a list of three candidates will be submitted by Jan. 24 to the Green, who will have 60 days to make his final decision….
read … Kaua‘i Democratic Party accepting applications for Jimmy Tokioka’s statehouse seat