Two things stand out about the upcoming primary election battles for the state Legislature: There are an unusually high number of open seats up for grabs and an unusually high number of former elected officials seeking to return to the political arena.
Eleven seats have been or will be vacated by incumbents, including nine seeking higher office. Three of the openings are in the Senate and eight are in the House.
Those vacancies have helped attract 10 former elected officials to the races, including eight who previously served in the Legislature and two former county council members. Six of the 10 are running for the open seats.
“They see an opportunity,” said Gary Hooser, a former state legislator from Kauai. “It’s not a bad thing. They know they can do the work.”
“It’s pretty hard to defeat an incumbent, so if they’re trying to get back into politics,” an open seat presents a good opportunity, added Colin Moore, director of the Public Policy Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
The 11 seats, including two temporarily being filled by gubernatorial appointees, represent 17 percent of the 64 legislative seats on Saturday’s ballot. All 51 House seats and 13 of the 25 Senate seats will be listed.
But even before the first ballot was marked last month in early walk-in voting, 17 races already were decided because no one stepped up to challenge the incumbents. That means Sen. Breene Harimoto (D, Pearl Harbor-Pearl City-Aiea) and 16 House members are assured of keeping their jobs at the state Capitol.
In 15 other races — four in the Senate and 11 in the House — the winner of the Democratic primary claims the seat because they face no opposition in the general election.
With so many incumbents leaving their positions, a sizable number of newcomers will be around when the Legislature convenes in January. But they are not expected to change the general policy thrust of a body dominated by one party, political observers say.
“It’s liberal Democrats being replaced by liberal Democrats,” said John Hart, chairman and professor of communication at Hawaii Pacific University. “It’s not like we’re looking at a Republican wave or a Green wave.”
Still, the new lawmakers could alter the dynamics that affect leadership in the two chambers, particularly in the Senate where fewer numbers are needed to trigger change.
“Even three (new senators) could align with others who are unhappy,” said Hooser, who is president of the Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, which advocates for progressive causes.
The 11 open seats include the one held earlier this year by Maui Rep. Joe Souki, who resigned in March to resolve sexual harassment complaints from several women.
If the seat previously held by Rep. Marcus Oshiro is counted, the number actually is 12. Oshiro resigned from the House in October after Gov. David Ige named him to the Hawaii Labor Relations Board.
Ige appointed Wahiawa community leader Lei Learmont to replace Oshiro. She hopes to retain the 46th District seat, facing Lester Fung and Amy Perruso in the primary. The winner will go up against Republican John Miller in November.
While the open seats have attracted a mix of old and new faces, a major question looming before the primary election is whether more voters will be motivated to cast their ballots, improving upon the state’s notoriously low voter turnout.
In the 2016 presidential election, Hawaii’s 43 percent turnout was the lowest of any state.
Alex Santiago, director of the Pono Policy Academy, a nonpartisan organization that educates the public about the legislative process and trains potential candidates on how to run a campaign, said Hawaii’s legislative races are key to getting people excited about voting, especially in primaries.
The major contests such as for governor will always draw their share of voters but the smaller down-ballot races, often feature candidates going door-to-door to speak with would-be supporters, are critical to boosting turnout, Santiago said.
“The challenge is inspiring them to go and vote,” he said.
Here are some of the primary races to watch on Saturday:
SENATE
>> 12th District (Kakaako-McCully-Waikiki)
Democrat incumbent Brickwood Galuteria faces a challenge from community advocate Sharon Moriwaki, who analysts say has run a strong campaign.
Galuteria, an entertainer and former Hawaii Democratic Party chairman, has served in the Senate since 2008. Moriwaki has been a prominent voice against the proliferation of luxury condo developments in Kakaako. The winner faces Republican Lynn Barry Mariano in the general.
>> 19th District (Ewa Beach-Iroquois Point)
Three Democrats — Matt LoPresti, Alicia Maluafiti and Veronica Duzon — are vying for the seat vacated by Will Espero, who is running for lieutenant governor.
Most of the focus has been on LoPresti, a two-term state representative, and Maluafiti, a seed company lobbyist and founder of Poi Dogs & Popoki, a spay-and-neuter nonprofit. Maluafiti has received campaign contributions from Senate leaders, including President Ron Kouchi and Vice President Michelle Kidani’s campaign organization.
LoPresti has received contributions from Sen. Laura Thielen and Sen. Gil Keith-Agaran’s campaign organization, which also donated to Maluafiti. The winner of the primary faces Republican Kurt Fevella in November.
>> 23rd District (Heeia-Laie-Waialua)
Clayton Hee wants his old job back. but incumbent Sen. Gil Riviere stands in his way. Hee didn’t enter this race until June when he gave up on his bid to become the next governor. Riviere, a freshman senator, served in the House from 2010 to 2012. With no opposition in the general, the winner of this race will take the seat.
>> 24th District (Kailua-Kaneohe)
Voters have a choice between a longtime lawmaker and a relatively new one to replace Sen. Jill Tokuda, who is running for lieutenant governor. Rep. Ken Ito, 74, has served in the Legislature since 1994. Rep. Jarrett Keohokalole, 35, was elected to the House in 2014. The winner will claim the seat.
HOUSE
>> 23rd District (Manoa-Punahou-Moiliili)
Five Democrats are competing to replace Rep. Isaac Choy, who opted not to run for re-election. Dale Kobayashi, an accountant and son of City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi, has the highest name recognition. He lost to Choy in the 2016 primary by only 70 votes. The other four candidates are Andrew Garrett, an executive with nonprofit Healthcare Association of Hawaii; Benton Rodden, an educator; Elton Fukumoto, a former English and legal writing professor and legislative aide; and Dylan Armstrong, an urban planner. The winner faces no opposition in the general.
>> 44th District (Waianae-Makaha-Makua)
This race is a rematch of a close 2016 primary when Cedric Gates beat incumbent Jo Jordan by 240 votes. Gates is the incumbent now. Jordan held the seat from 2011 to 2016. The winner will take the seat.
>> 48th District (Kahaluu-Ahuimanu-Kaneohe)
Two former lawmakers, Jessica Wooley and Kika Bukoski, are among the four Democrats hoping to succeed Rep. Jarrett Keohokalole, who is running for a Senate seat. Randy Gonce, an aide to Rep. Matt LoPresti, and Lisa Kitagawa, Rep. Aaron Ling Johanson’s aide, also are in the race. This is another winner-take-all race.
