U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and the state’s incumbent congressional representatives are expected to do well in Saturday’s Democratic Party primaries in Hawaii. Hawaii uses a vote-by-mail system, where ballots are sent to registered voters to mail back or drop off at designated locations. In-person voting is also available at select voter service centers in every county. To be counted, ballots must reach county election offices by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
Hirono is running for her third term in the U.S. Senate. She first took office in 2012, succeeding Daniel Akaka. In the Democratic primary, Hirono faces Ron Curtis, who she beat with 69% of the vote in the general election six years ago. Another candidate in the race is Clyde McClain Lewman. On the Republican side, former state Rep. Bob McDermott and five other candidates are vying for the nomination.
In the U.S. House races, U.S. Rep. Ed Case is seeking the Democratic nomination for Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District against Cecil Hale. Patrick Largey is running unopposed on the Republican side. In the 2nd Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda and Republican Steve Bond are running unopposed. This district includes suburban Honolulu and the nearby islands.
In the State House race, House Speaker Scott Saiki is facing a challenge from Kim Coco Iwamoto, who is running again after narrow losses to Saiki in previous elections. Their district covers downtown Honolulu and Kakaako, an area undergoing a construction boom. Saiki, an attorney, has been a state representative for 30 years and House speaker since 2017. Iwamoto, also an attorney, previously served on the state Board of Education and focuses on issues like government transparency and homelessness in her campaign.
