Special-election winner will finish Takai’s term
CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / 2015
Mark Takai, who died July 20, is shown taking the oath of office administered by Chief U.S. District Judge Susan Oki Mollway as his daughter, Kaila, looks on. Gov. David Ige has authorized a special election to decide who will serve out Takai’s term.
Gov. David Ige and the state Office of Elections issued an official proclamation Tuesday authorizing a special election, in conjunction with the Nov. 8 general election, to decide who will serve out the last two months of the unfinished term of the late U.S. Rep. Mark Takai.
The election will fill a vacancy in Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District, which represents urban Honolulu. Takai died July 20 of pancreatic cancer.
The winner of the special election will immediately take office to fill out Takai’s unfinished term, which ends Jan. 3, according to elections officials.
Candidate filing for the special election will start Aug. 15 and wrap up at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 25.
Former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa confirmed Tuesday she will run in the special election. Hanabusa has already filed to run for the seat in the regular election.
Hanabusa said she will run in the special election because “I believe you’ve got to hit the ground running.” Depending on the outcome of the general election, the lame-duck session of the Congress at the end of the year might feature some critical votes, she said.
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Other candidates who have filed to run for the regular election for the seat include Democrats Lei Ahu Isa, Howard Kim, Javier Ocasio, Sam Puletasi, Lei Sharsh-Davis and Steve Tataii. Shirlene Ostrov filed as a Republican; Alan Yim filed as a Libertarian; and Calvin Griffin filed as a nonpartisan candidate for the seat.
11 responses to “Special-election winner will finish Takai’s term”
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Couldn’t have Ige named a sub?
No. The Constitution does not allow it for vacancies in the House of Representatives, a special election is required.
Abercrombie appointed Hanabusa to the U.S House of Reps, then appointed Sen Maile Shimbukuro to fill Hanabusa’s seat in the state senate.
What planet do you live on? Abercrombie did not appoint Hanabusa to the House. She lost the special election in May 2010 to Djou to serve out the rest of Abercrombie’s term, then won the general election in November 2010. After Sen. Inouye’s death in December 2012, Abercrombie declined to appoint her to the open Senate seat (he appointed Schatz). She then challenged Schatz in the 2014 primary, and lost. Moreover, Maile Shimabukuro has been the state House since 2003, and has never been appojnted to the state Senate.
Yes I double checked my facts and I was partially wrong. Yes, Hanabusa lost to Djou in the he 2010 special election but won the General election for the follow on term. In 2011 when Hanabusa vacated her State Senate seat. Gov Abercrombie appointed Maile Shimabukuro then Waianae Rep to fill Hanabusa’s State Senate Seat. He then appointed Waianae Neighborhood board member Joe Jordan to the State Representative position previously held by Shimabukuro. I was thinking we should have had a special election (when this happened)but state constition must allow for this.
Apparently Collen Hanabusa has to wait until someone dies in office before she decides to run. The ultimate opportunist and also quite pathetic. Remember your ABCs at the polls people: Anybody But Colleen.
ABC… for sure!!! Anybody but Colleen!!!
Couldn’t we just say that the winner of the election for Takai’s seat start his/her term after victory is announced to complete Takai’s current term and serve out the elected terminstead of having a special election? The representative at that point would have been an elected official by the people.
No.
Hanabusa is like a bad penny that keeps turning up over and over. Can’t she just go away and leave us alone?
Special election or Special Ed candidates?