HONOLULU (Eagle News) – For the first time since 1996, a majority of Hawaii’s registered voters participated in the primary election on Saturday, August 8. Out of 795,248 registered voters, more than 406,000 exercised their civic duty, with over 400,000 doing so through mail-in voting. Only less than 5,500 statewide availed of the county voting centers to cast their ballots in person.
“Hawaii’s first all-mail election set a record high turnout!,” stated Governor David Ige on Twitter. “Mahalo to the voters who exercised their Constitutional right. And thank you to all the candidates who ran in this election. It takes courage to run, and you have my gratitude.”
Also an historic first, the top mayoral candidates in both Honolulu (Oahu Island) and Hawaii (Big Island) Counties are first timers with little or no political experience.
On Oahu, former general manager of Hawaii News Now Rick Blangiardi garnered 25% of the popular vote with businessman Keith Amemiya close behind with 20%. Political veterans like former Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa, City Councilwoman Kym Pine, and former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann rounded out the top five.
On the Big Island, county prosecutor Mitch Roth won 31% of the votes cast while Ikaika Marzo, a community organizer who gained recognition during the Kilauea volcano eruption and evacuation in 2018, gained 21%. Incumbent Mayor Harry Kim finished third, thus being denied reelection.
Because none of the candidates won a clear majority, they will face off in the General Election on Tuesday, November 3.
“I want to congratulate all the winners from last night. Running for office in the middle of a pandemic is very challenging,” stated Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell on Twitter.
“They may be running on different platforms and running against one another, but I also know that everyone shares the same concern for the health and safety of our community. Everything has changed, our priorities, our economy, our health system, and even the way we interact,” Caldwell stated.
“But it hasn’t changed who we are. In Hawaii, we care about each other and we are strong for each other. This is beyond politics,” said the mayor as he will be required to finish his second term later this year. “We are going to make it, and it is also an opportunity to be stronger and smarter-as a state, as a county, and as a community.”
(With reports from EBC Hawaii Bureau, Eagle News Service)