Although it is only the first of the new year, the opening filing date for candidates is only a few weeks away.
Several potential candidates have announced and introduced themselves to the communities that they wish to represent on the Hawaii County Council.
Dr. James Weatherford- contender for District 5’s seat currently held by Emily Naeole-Beason posted this letter on Big Island Chronicle:
My approach on the Council will be to apply the work ethic I learned as a child doing farm chores and applied in more than 20 years of public service in agriculture and rural development, mass transit, economic analysis, and education.
Weatherford hilights his education, and experience- both as a working professional and as a private citizen participating frequently in county government.
In District 6- a younger face has made her intents known via Big Island Weekly:
Brittany Smart quoted Mahatma Ghandi when she said: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
The 26-year-old resident of Na`alehu then added that she’s motivated by this advice and is campaigning to run for the County Council District 6 seat.
“It’s time for my generation to step up and say what they want for their future, get the ball rolling, and make it happen,” she said.
Smart isn’t the first in young citizen contenders to the Hawaii County Council. During the 2008 elections, Jet Heng and Anthony Marzi- both young students attending UH-Hilo unsuccessfully ran for Councillor seats in Districts 4 and 5, respectively.
However, a potential advantage for grassroots candidates- regardless of age will be the public funding pilot program that takes affect this election.
One of the perceived benefits of this particular program is that it will empower more candidates to engage in a competitive campaign.
Those wishing to qualify for public funding are not to accept contributions from private sources, obtain 200 signatures of district residents along with a $5.00 donation.
The funding comes from a 1978 Constitutional Convention amendment where Hawaii voters created the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund- which was originally a partial funding system. Hawaii residents can choose to contribute to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund by checking a box when filing their tax returns.
Critics of the program say that funds are issued on a first-come, first serve basis. There is no way to control which candidate receives one’s contribution- essentially a person can be unwillingly contributing to a campaign that they do not support.
Both Weatherford and Smart will be seeking public funding for these elections.
Thanks for this coverage of the election.
In particular, I note your focus on younger folks getting involved. That is great! although, it certainly does not include me, at age 58. However, it does include my three children ages 23, 26, and 28. My wife, Elizabeth, and I met when we were 20-something — she was on the national field staff of the 1976 Jimmy Carter for President Primary Campaign and I was just getting involved as a volunteer.
I’d really like to see more young folks more involved in politics. They are the future. Of course, I would welcome their support in my own campaign, and, when elected, I intend to find ambitious and energetic staff to help me.
Glad to see this pilot project public funding option was not scuttled by incumbents Council Chair Yoshimoto et al. last April when they sought to postpone or gut this legislation April, when in apparent violation of the Sunshine Law they orchestrated a maneuver to undermine implementation of this program for the 2010 election. MW (margaretwille.com)