Kauaʻi County Council race begins

While politics may be of little interest to many readers, the outcome of this process very much effects the future of this island. 

In the USA I think we tend to take elections for granted, even after the 2000 election raised some very serious issues with the process. Kauaʻi is small enough that I wanted to look into the process behind the election itself.

Candidates are still filing for the primary election ballot for county council seats but here is an early look at the official uncertified preliminary status as of 9 May. The follow lists candidates who have applied for nomination papers to be returned with 15 (thatʻs all) signatures of voters to get on the ballot along with a filing fee. Until all papers are in and signatures checked we won't know the final list but the following is a reasonable approximation of who will be in the running for seven seats.

According to the candidate's manual, each candidate chooses whether or not to comply with campaign spending limits and if so a viable candidate can receive funding from the state (taken from state income tax revenue) for the campaign. The spending limit is $1.40 per registered voter (from the last election) or about $56,000. Candidates must independently collect at least $3,000 to be considered eligible for funding.

Candidates are listed alphabetically with their city of residence; incumbents marked "(i)". Link to best web link I found relevant to candidacy:

1. Arthur Brun - Kekaha, works for Syngenta (biotechnology corporation)
2. Tim L. Bynum (i) - Kapaʻa, recently won settlement to lawsuit against the county in court
3. Felicia E. Cowden - Kilauea, prominent local radio personality
4. J. Furfaro (i) - Princeville, current chair of the council
5. Joanne Georgi - Eleele, ran for state senate unsuccessfully in 2010
6. Eva Hoopii - Kapaʻa
7. Gary L. Hooser (i) - Kapaʻa
8. Ronald J. Horoshko - Kalaheo
9. Joseph H. Kaauwai, Jr. - Anahola
10. Ross K. Kagawa (i) - Lihue
11. Ernest L. Kanekoa, Jr. - Kalaheo, police commission member
12. Arryl J. Kaneshiro - Lihue
13. Kipukai L.P. Kuaalii - Anahola
14. Darryl D. Perry - Lihue, chief of police
15. Melvin F. Rapozo (i) - Kapaʻa
16. JoAnn A. Yukimura (i) - Lihue

The only incumbent not listed is Mason K. Chock, Sr., recently appointed to fill an open seat.

While I don't want to overestimate the power of the internet, it's notable that only incumbents (and not all of them) have campaign web sites. Of those most are fairly barebones. A couple of new candidates got short interviews in the local paper which I did link to. That said, signs in people's yards may be more powerful that web sites, and I have seen several signs for candidates that don't have web sites, or at least sites I could find via searching.