Honolulu mayoral race is set with 15 candidates

The election battles for Honolulu mayor have at times been dramatic over the last few decades, but none come close to the uncertainty and unpredictability of this year’s contest.

At least six out of the 15 candidates have a legitimate shot at replacing Mayor Kirk Caldwell, who is finishing his second consecutive term at the end of this year and is barred by the Honolulu City Charter from running for the same office a third straight time.

Tuesday was the state deadline to file to run for office in 2020.

Seasoned election veterans former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, former Mayor Mufi Hannemann and current Councilwoman Kym Pine are among the hopefuls, as are newcomers Keith Amemiya and Rick Blangiardi, businessmen who have already generated significant buzz through early advertisements and key union endorsements. Also in the mix is businesswoman and community advocate Choon James, who brings her own following.

A late filing came Tuesday afternoon from the Rev. William “Bud” Stonebraker, a pastor with Calvary Chapel who served in the state House of Representatives from 2000 to 2006.

Others who filed nomination papers for the nonpartisan seat: David “Duke” Burgoin, Ernest Caravalho, former state Sen. John Carroll, Karl Dicks, Tim Garry, Audrey Keesing, Micah “Laakea” Mussell and Ho Yin “Jason” Wong.

Waikiki resident Wesley Haviland pulled nomination papers late Tuesday to run for mayor, only to learn of the requirements to actually file the documents. He scurried around the Honolulu Hale courtyard but was unsuccessful in his attempt to find 15 signatures.

Former Honolulu Star- Advertiser capital bureau chief Richard Borrecca, who’s covered Hawaii elections since the 1970s, said the social distancing restrictions that have been imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with the fact that this will be the first election to be held “all mail,” also add some new wrinkles that could be a factor in the outcome of this year’s election.

And it might mean more money will be spent by the candidates, he said.

“With public rallies and even door-to-door canvassing not appropriate in this time of COVID-19, politicians have to rely on traditional newspaper and TV advertising and social media,” said Borrecca, author of the Star-Advertiser’s weekly On Politics column. “For politicians, who want to just aim a campaign at their supporters, social media is too vague, so they must rely on paid media. So the race will be expensive.”

He added, “This year more than most, the outcome is so uncertain, anyone’s guess is just as good as that from conventional political analysts.”

Social distancing, however, is also putting a crimp on traditional fundraising. Gone, at least for now, are the days of big-ticket gatherings and coffee hours at a friend’s house. Instead, the hopefuls are needing to resort to “virtual fundraisers” using Zoom, Facebook Live or some other means of videoconferencing technology.

The only mayoral forum to be held so far is one sponsored by the Kokua Council that was held last week via Zoom and Facebook.

Also on this year’s Oahu election ballot is the race for Honolulu prosecuting attorney. Embattled current Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro, on leave for more than a year after being served a target letter in a wide-ranging federal corruption case, is not seeking reelection.

Among those who are: former Circuit Judge and U.S. Attorney Steve Alm, Deputy Public Defender Jacquie Esser, high-profile attorney Megan Kau and Acting Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Nadamoto.

Meanwhile, five of the nine seats on the Honolulu City Council are up for grabs. Again due to term limits, current Council members Ikaika Anderson, Ann Kobayashi, Joey Manahan, Ron Menor and Pine are barred from seeking third consecutive terms.

Among the most interesting Council races is the fight for the Council District 9 seat (Mililani to Ewa Beach), which features former state Sen. Will Espero, businessman and comedian Augie Tulba and Earl Tsuneyoshi, a major in the National Guard and the brother-in-law of District 2 Councilwoman Heidi Tsuneyoshi.

For more on the Council races, see our story Saturday at bit.ly/2zCB9hP.

Primary election day is Aug. 8. Registered voters are expected to receive their ballots in the mail by July 21 or shortly thereafter.

Candidates in a city government race run off against each other in the primary election. If the top vote-getter does not finish with a majority of the votes cast, the top two finishers go head-to-head in the general election, which this year is slated for Nov. 3.