This is an election year and so it’s another opportunity for you to help select aspiring leaders for our community who you believe will provide pono leadership and who have the experience and vision to address the issues that affect us all.
Civic engagement is part of our kuleana as Native Hawaiians. Every vote counts – let your vote help build a better future for our keiki.
And thanks to the shift to mail-in ballots, voting is easier and more convenient than ever before!
A brief description of the 2022 General Election Proposed Amendments on the county ballots that may be of interest to the Native Hawaiian community.
To see the full list of 2022 Ballot Amendment Questions by county click here.
This election year, six of the nine seats of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ (OHA) Board of Trustees (BOT) are up for election.
OHA’s BOT is made up of nine elected officials who serve four-year terms. Five of the seats represent specific islands: Kauaʻi/Niʻihau; Oʻahu; Maui; Molokaʻi/Lānaʻi; and Hawaiʻi Island. Four of the seats are “At-Large.”
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Maui & Oʻahu TrusteesThis year, incumbent Carmen “Hulu” Lindsey, trustee for the island of Maui and current BOT chair, ran unopposed and as such, was declared legally and duly elected following the candidate filing deadline in June. Incumbent Akaka won the position outright in the primary election with 56% of the votes cast. |
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“At-Large” Trustee Candidates (Three seats)The top six candidates listed below (in order of votes received in the primary), will be on the general election ballot. The three candidates receiving the most votes in the November general election will take the “At-Large” trustee seats. Brickwood Galuteria – 92,028 |
| Ka Wai Ola News article OHA Board of Trustees Primary Election Summary | 2022 PRIMARY ELECTION results |
The recommended day to register by is October 31st, with an absolute deadline of November 8th at a Voter Service Center in person. Go to olvr.hawaii.gov to check your current registration status and/or to register online.
Delivery of ballot packages begins on October 21st.
Watch the “Hawaiʻi Votes” video for instructions on how to complete your mail-in ballot properly, ensuring it will be free from errors.
Place your ballot in the mail by November 1st. Voted ballots must be received by no later than 7:00 pm on November 8th.
What do award winning musicians Paula Fuga, Kimie Miner, Hawane Rios, Glenn Awong of Maoli, Amy Hanaialiʻi and Izik have in common? They all want you to VOTE!
Each artist shares their personal motivation in these videos and encourage others to have a voice in shaping our future by voting in Hawaiʻi’s 2020 General Election. Learn more about OHA’s Aloha Rising campaign partnership with Haku Collective artists here.
Get your ballots in the mail by Oct. 27. Same day voter registration and voting is also available. Visit olvr.hawaii.gov for details.
Online registration ended on Oct. 5th. However, same-day voter registration is available at Voter Service Centers throughout the pae ʻāina. Go to olvr.hawaii.gov for details.
The Office of Elections has free online previews of your official ballot, which lists the candidates in your area.
Get informed on where the candidates stand on issues of importance. Visit KaWaiOla.News to learn about the candidates and which ones align with your views.
Hear from the top candidates vying for your vote in the General Election: Read the Ka Wai Ola 2020 General Election Guide in the Oct. 2020 issue.
Ka Wai Ola surveyed all of the Primary Election candidates in all Hawaiʻi races to find out where they stand on the issues that affect you: Read the Ka Wai Ola Primary Election Guide in the July 2020 issue.
Before you vote in the 2020 General Election find out where the candidates stand on important issues that affect you and all of Hawaiʻi.
Hawaiʻi Island and Honolulu Mayors
Congressional District #1 and #2
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney
The voter education event was sponsored by the Center for Native Hawaiian Advancement, Kamehameha Schools, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and moderated by KHON2 anchor and investigative reporter Gina Mangieri.
OHA TRUSTEE CANDIDATE FORUM ON PBS HAWAIʻI
On Oct. 1, 2020, PBS Hawai‘i hosted this important conversation between the six OHA Trustee Candidates on the issues affecting Native Hawaiians and OHA.
HAWAIʻI COUNTY MAYOR FORUM ON NĀ LEO TV
Hawaiʻi County Mayor candidates Ikaika Marzo and Mitch Roth discuss the issues affecting Hawaiʻi Island.
OHA TRUSTEE CANDIDATES – PRIMARY ELECTION FORUMS
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has partnered with ʻŌiwi TV to bring you three live-streamed OHA Trustee candidate forums. It is your opportunity to learn about the OHA Trustee candidates in all FOUR races, their experience, and their positions so you can make an informed decision in the 2020 elections. The forums aired on July 2, 9 & 14 at 6pm on oha.org/aloharising and on the OHA Facebook page.
Meet 10 of the candidates running for Hawaiʻi Island Trustee: Kauilani Almeida, Noelani Cashman-Aiu, Laura DeSoto-McCollough, Louis Hao, Cyd Hoffeld, Pua Ishibashi, Lei Kihoi, Keola Lindsey, Lanakila Mangauil and Kalaniakea Wilson.
Meet the three Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi Trustee Candidates: Luana Alapa, Uʻi Kahue-Cabanting and Colette Machado; and the three Kauaʻi and Niʻihau candidates: Dan Ahuna, Brittny Perez and Kamealoha Smith.
Meet the candidates running for OHA At-Large: Keliʻi Akina, Jackie Burke, Kaipo Hanakahi, Larry Kawaauhau, Shane Akoni Palacat-Nelsen, Keoni Souza. Voters from all islands can vote for the At-Large Trustee.
Beginning with the 2020 Elections, Hawaiʻi votes by mail and all registered voters will automatically receive their ballot in the mail.
Ballot Mail Out Schedule:
City and County of Honolulu: October 5 & 6, 2020
County of Hawaiʻi: October 7, 2020
County of Maui: October 8, 2020
County of Kauaʻi: October 9, 2020
Contact your County Elections Division if you have not received your ballot by October 16, 2020.
Mail your ballot back by: October 27, 2020. After this date, voters must return their ballot to a place of deposit (ballot drop box). All voted ballots must be received by your Clerk’s Office no later than 7:00 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3, 2020.
How to Vote By Mail
The online civic engagement workshop series is one component of OHA’s Aloha Rising Vote 2020 campaign to increase civic engagement amongst Native Hawaiians. The first installment of the weekly one-hour program aired in May and June 2020 was presented in partnership with Kanaeokana, and featured Kumu Hina sharing mele and community experts discussing the history of civic engagement amongst the Native Hawaiian community. A broad range of topics shared ʻōiwi civic engagement and history through a cultural lens. Each program ended with a mele that all participants can join together and sing. In July, the focus of the Aloha Rising Webinar Series shifted to the OHA Trustee Candidates and moved to an evening program. See above for details.
The second installment of series aired Sept. 3 – Oct. 1, 2020 covered issues affecting the lāhui today, including the proper treatment of iwi kūpuna, maintaining mauli ola (health) during the pandemic, economic self sufficiency and affordable housing.
Aloha Rising aired on the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Facebook and our partner pages on Thursdays at 2pm. The webinars were also accessed via Zoom at oha.org/aloharising. Stay tuned for a new series of programming. Catch up on our full list of Aloha Rising Webinars listed below.
A Historical Overview of ʻŌiwi Civic Engagement with Davis Price and mele with Kumu Hina.
Land Tenure and Leadership in Ancient Hawaiʻi vs Today with Kamana Beamer and new mele with Kumu Hina.
ʻOnipaʻa Mau: Political Organizing and Engagement of Native Hawaiians in the Territorial Era with Kawika Burgess and a review of past mele with Kumu Hina.
Huliau Hou i Ke Aloha ʻĀina: Political Organizing in the Hawaiian Renaissance and the 1978 Con-Con with Gov. John Waiheʻe & Kumu Hina.
Addressing recent civil unrest, police brutality and racism with Professor Ken Lawson, Co-Director of the Hawai‘i Innocence Project at the William S. Richardson Law School where he teaches Civil Rights Clinic and Criminal Law.
Exercising Community Voice: Opinion-Editorial Writing with Trisha Kehaulani Watson, J.D., Ph. D. and more original mele with Kumu Hina.
Connecting Kuleana Through Mele Workshop: Kumu Hinaleimoana Wong will be teaches the mele Kū Haʻaheo a kuʻu Hawaiʻi (Stand tall my Hawaiʻi).
Andre Perez discusses the history of activism & non-violent direct action in Hawaiʻi and Kumu Hina shares Mele Kaulana Wale Kuʻu ʻĀina ʻo Kalihi.
Kumu Hinaleimoana Wong and Davis Price discuss the mail-in voting process and the kuleana to vote in this yearʻs election.
The Environmental Law Program at the William S. Richardson School of Law, UH Mānoa, is joining Aloha Rising to offer an informative discussion on the “Protect Hakipuʻu” effort and delve into our collective kuleana to ensure proper stewarship of ʻĀina Kūpuna.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs presents a panel discussion on kānaka physical, spiritual, and mental health during COVID-19 with leading Native Hawaiian health care practitioners: Dr. Kalani Brady, Dr. Aukahi Austin-Seabury, Kumu Pōmaikaʻi Freed.
A discussion on Iwi Tapu and Island Burial Councils with Halealoha Ayau and Hinaleimoana Wong, hosted by Mehanaokala Hind.
Listen in as Rebecca Soon, Tyler I. Gomes and Gavin Thornton discuss Hawaii’s Housing Crisis, affordable housing solutions to tackle the problem, and our role in realizing positive change.
Discussion on building Hawaii’s economic future through an ʻōiwi perspective.
OHA’s Aloha Rising series launched with an online survey on January 15, 2020, Opening Day at the Hawai‘i State Legislature. Our goal was to hear directly from the community. The survey was open from January 15 to February 15 and the question was posed: what’s important to you? Over 2,700 people participated in the survey with 88% self-identifying as Native Hawaiian or Part Hawaiian. Responses came from across Hawai‘i, from 41 states on the continent, and from three U.S. territories. According to our survey results:
88% of respondents plan on voting this year
Most respondents (78%) participated in a Hawaiian cultural activity within the past year
The average rating of elected officials’ decisions was 2.17 (out of 5), or “Extremely Dissatisfied”
Most important Hawai‘i issues: 1) Affordable homeownership; 2) Proper management of land and water resources; 3) Native Hawaiian representation in government; 4) Poverty in Hawai’i; and 5) Access to Hawaiian Homelands
Half of the respondents did not know about Hawai‘i’s new all-mail-in voting process
Guided by the results of this survey, the Aloha Rising Vote 2020 campaign aims to encourage more Native Hawaiians to vote and to participate in the political process. Our efforts will take place throughout the year leading up to the primary and general elections, being held on August 8 and November 3, respectively. In light of COVID-19 concerns, Aloha Rising educational activities are being reconfigured to take advantage of online sharing platforms. Whether the events are hosted digitally or in-person, the information shared will focus on the cultural importance of community building and political participation with sharing of mo‘olelo and mele by Kumu Hina; and a practical training on mail-in voting.
Remember: 2020 is the first year that Hawai‘i is doing all-mail-in ballots for both the primary and general elections. Be sure to register to vote and that your current address is registered to ensure that you receive your ballot in the mail. Also, keep in mind that precinct polling locations will not exist this year, and walk-in voting will only be available at specific locations during specific times.
Your vote is your voice in what you think Hawaiʻi’s future should be, how our traditions and resources should be sustained, and who are the best people to lead us. Simply put: Hawaiian voters means that Hawaiian issues will be addressed by our legislators. Your voice is part of a chorus, calling for a strong and vibrant lāhui.
Archive: 2018 Get out the vote campaign
HAWAIʻI’S TOWN HALL