Special Council Election Requires Hundreds Of New Campaign Finance Reports
In the revote for the East Honolulu City Council seat, Trevor Ozawa had a financial advantage over Tommy Waters in the latest reports.
Because of the upcoming special election for the East Honolulu City Council seat, about 250 organizations must file extra campaign finance reports whether or not they have an interest in the race.
The organizations known as noncandidate committees , says Kristin E. Izumi-Nitao, executive director of the Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission.
“Even if they don鈥檛 care about this race, they have to understand that they have yet another report due,” Izumi-Nitao says. “If they won鈥檛 spend or raise more than $1,000, they need to check off a box on their organizational report now.”
The April 13 special election pits former City Councilman Trevor Ozawa against Tommy Waters. Ozawa narrowly outpolled Waters last fall, but the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled that the election was faulty and ordered a revote.
Ozawa had at the end of December, while Waters was in the red.
Ozawa at a Kaimuki restaurant, 3660 on the Rise, with suggested contributions ranging from $250 to $2,000. Waters a couple of days later in downtown Honolulu at the office of attorney Michael Green. The suggested contributions ranged from $100 to $2,000.
The two candidates also need to file new campaign spending reports covering the period from Nov. 7 to April 13.
Waters and Ozawa are scheduled to appear jointly on “Insights on PBS Hawaii” March 14 from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., a live conversation moderated by Yunji de Nies.
Waters spent Wednesday afternoon door-knocking in Kaimuki. He says he has spent every day going house to house, “listening to constituents as well as talking about our shared vision of a more accountable government.”
Ozawa says he has also been knocking on doors, sign-waving and holding coffee get-togethers to get the word out about the election. It’s challenging, he says, because some supporters are still fatigued by the last campaign and discouraged that there will be another one.
The former councilman says he’s motivated but fears a low voter turnout.
“The whole district needs to know, get out and vote, make your voice heard and don鈥檛 be discouraged by the result of having the election crossed out last time,” he said.
