HSTA announces primary election recommendations
The Hawaii State Teachers Association today announced its recommendations for congressional, gubernatorial and Hawaii State House and Senate candidates in the upcoming 2018 primary election.
The HSTA is committed to being a democratic organization, especially when it comes to choosing which candidates to recommend. Our Government Relations Committee (GRC) members from every chapter collect information about political candidates from teachers in their chapter. They then share this information with members of the committee.
GRC members recruit teachers to serve on chapter recommendation interview committees, which use interview questions created and agreed upon by the GRC. Each candidate also submits answers to a questionnaire, which is also created by the GRC. After the interviews, each chapter submits its recommendations to the GRC, which then deliberates and decides on the committee's recommendations to the Board of Directors. After careful consideration of all input, the BOD makes the final recommendations.
“After many committee discussions, interviews and extensive research about this year’s candidates, the HSTA Board of Directors has agreed to recommend the following candidates who have been strong supporters of public education and are committed to creating a better future for our keiki,” said HSTA President Corey Rosenlee.
"Deciding on some of these recommendations was extremely difficult for HSTA chapters, our Government Relations Committee members and finally our members of the HSTA Board of Directors," said HSTA Government Relations Committee Chair Natasha Taketa. "However, in the end, after much deliberation, they made their recommendations. We thank everyone for their valuable input that was considered at each level of our recommendation process."
The HSTA recommends the following legislative candidates:
Hawaii State House of Representatives
| District | Candidate | District | Candidate | District | Candidate |
| 1 | Mark Nakashima (D) | 20 | Calvin Say (D) | 36 | Marilyn Lee (D) |
| 2 | Christopher L.T. Todd (D) | 21 | Scott Nishimoto (D) | 37 | Ryan Yamane (D) |
| 3 | Richard H.K. Onishi (D) | 22 | Tom Brower (D) | 38 | Henry Aquino (D) |
| 4 | Joy A. San Buenaventura (D) | 23 | Benton Rodden (D) | 39 | Ty J.K. Cullen (D) |
| 5 | Jeanné Kapela (D) | 25 | Sylvia Luke (D) | 41 | Lynn Robinson-Onderko (D) |
| 6 | Nicole Lowen (D) | 26 | Scott Saiki (D) | 42 | Sharon Har (D) |
| 9 | Justin Woodson (D) | 27 | Takashi Ohno (D) | 43 | Stacelyn Eli (D) |
| 11 | Tina Wildberger (D) | 28 | John Mizuno (D) | 44 | Cedric Gates (D) |
| 12 | Tiare Lawrence (D) | 29 | Daniel Holt (D) | 45 | Lauren Matsumoto (R) |
| 13 | Lynn DeCoite (D) | 30 | Ernesto Ganaden (D) | 46 | Amy Perruso (D) |
| 14 | Nadine Nakamura (D) | 31 | Aaron Ling Johanson (D) | 48 | Lisa Kitagawa (D) |
| 15 | James Tokioka (D) | 32 | Linda Ichiyama (D) | 49 | Natalia Hussey-Burdick (D) |
| 16 | Dee Morikawa (D) | 33 | Sam Kong (D) | 50 | Micah Kalama Pregitzer (D) |
| 17 | Gene Ward (R) | 34 | Gregg Takayama (D) | 51 | Chris Lee (D) |
NOTE: The HSTA Board of Directors took no position on House districts 7 and 8.
Candidates in House districts 10, 18, 19, 24, 35, 40 and 47 did not ask for recommendations from the HSTA.
Hawaii State Senate
| District | Candidate | District | Candidate |
| 1 | Kaiali`i Kahele (D) | 12 | Sharon Moriwaki (D) |
| 3 | Dru Kanuha (D) | 16 | Breene Harimoto (D) |
| 4 | Heather Kimball (D) | 17 | Clarence Nishihara (D) |
| 6 | Terez Amato (D) | 18 | Michelle Kidani (D) |
| 7 | J. Kalani English (D) | 21 | Maile Shimabukuro (D) |
NOTE: The HSTA Board of Directors took no position on Senate districts 23 and 24.
Senate district seats not up for re-election this term: 2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 20, 22, 25.
The HSTA previously announced its support for the re-election of Gov. David Ige (D), the election of Dr. Josh Green (D), a candidate for lieutenant governor, the re-election of U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono (D) and for Sherry Campagna (D), who is running to represent rural Oahu and the neighbor islands in U.S. House District 2. The HSTA Board had not yet decided on a candidate for the congressional seat in U.S. House District 1.
“The HSTA is proud to recommend these candidates and would like to thank all of the state lawmakers who supported efforts during the 2018 legislative session to improve public education and the learning environment for Hawaii’s students,” Rosenlee said.
“We are thankful that every incumbent state legislator we support voted in favor of the constitutional amendment to create a new funding stream for our chronically underfunded public schools,” Rosenlee added. “Their support of the constitutional amendment was only one of the criteria that our teacher leaders considered when deciding who the HSTA should support."
“With these supporters of public education in office, we will continue to make education a priority to improve Hawaii’s public school system,” said Rosenlee.
The primary election will be held Saturday, Aug. 11. The General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 6. Election Day polling places across the state will open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days. Absentee mail-in ballots will be sent out about 20 days before each election.
To register to vote, find your polling place and other election information, go to http://elections.hawaii.gov/.
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