Hawaii State Senate elections, 2012

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Hawaii State Senate elections, 2012

Majority control • Campaign contributions

Qualifications • Impact of Redistricting

State Legislative Election Results

List of candidates District 1 • District 3 • District 5 • District 6 • District 12 • District 16 • District 17 • District 18 • District 21 • District 23

Hawaii State Senate • 2012 Hawaii House Elections

State legislative elections in 2012

Elections for the office of Hawaii State Senate were held in Hawaii on November 6, 2012. The state requires that all state senators need to run for re-election after redistricting. Thus, a total of 25 seats were up for election.

The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in these elections was June 5, 2012 and the primary Election Day was August 11, 2012.

See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2012 and State legislative elections, 2012

Majority control

See also: Partisan composition of state senates

Heading into the November 6 election, the Democratic Party held the majority in the Hawaii State Senate:

Hawaii State Senate
Party		As of November 5, 2012	After the 2012 Election
	Democratic Party	24	24
	Republican Party	1	1
Total		25	25

Incumbents retiring

No Senators retired in 2012.

Campaign contributions

See also: State-by-state comparison of donations to state senate campaigns

This chart shows how many candidates ran for state senate in Hawaii in past years and the cumulative amount of campaign contributions in state senate races, including contributions in both primary and general election contests. All figures come from Follow The Money.

Year	Number of candidates	Total contributions
2010	46	$1,586,733
2008	26	$2,020,962
2006	28	$1,237,247
2004	25	$1,646,425
2002	59	$1,635,442

In 2010, the total amount of contributions raised in state senate elections was $1,586,733. The top 10 donors were:

Donor	Amount
Hawaii Association of Realtors	$44,100
Ironworkers Local 625	$34,050
Hawaii State Teachers Association	$32,420
Hawaii Operating Engineers	$18,222
Hawaii Carpenters & Joiners	$16,800
Plumbers & Pipefitters	$16,000
Operating Engineers Local 3	$16,000
Painters Local 1791	$13,450
Monsanto	$12,000
Longshore & Warehouse Local 142	$11,950

Impact of redistricting

See also: Redistricting in Hawaii

The Hawaii Reapportionment Commission is responsible for writing the redistricting plan. In the 2012 redistricting process, the Hawaii Supreme Court deemed the first plan unconstitutional for including non-permanent residents in the population, and the commission approved a new redistricting plan on March 8, 2012. The revised maps were challenged by plaintiffs who argued that removing military personnel and out-of-state college students from district population totals was unconstitutional. A federal panel ruled that the 2012 elections would be administered using the maps excluding non-permanent residents, and challenges to the maps were rejected in court.

Qualifications

From Article III, Section 7 of the Hawaii Constitution: No person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the senate unless the person has been a resident of the State for not less than three years, has attained the age of majority and is, prior to filing nomination papers and thereafter continues to be, a qualified voter of the senatorial district from which the person seeks to be elected; except that in the year of the first general election following reapportionment, but prior to the primary election, an incumbent senator may move to a new district without being disqualified from completing the remainder of the incumbent senator's term.

List of candidates

District 1

Note: Incumbent Democrat Malama Solomon won re-election in District 4.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Donald Ikeda: 5,011
• Gilbert Kahele: 7,027 a - Incumbent Kahele first assumed office in 2011.

August 11 GOP primary:

• No Republicans filed to run for this seat.

November 6 General election candidates:

Gilbert Kahele

District 2

Note: Incumbent Democrat Gilbert Kahele won re-election in District 1.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Bob Herkes: 2,756
• Wendell Ka'ehu'ae'a: 1,227
• Russell Ruderman: 3,106 a
• Gary Safarik: 1,192

August 11 GOP primary:

• Daryl Lee Smith a

November 6 General election candidates:

Russell Ruderman: 10,487

Daryl Lee Smith: 3,154

District 3

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Joshua Green a - Incumbent Green first assumed office in 2009.

August 11 GOP primary:

• Jeff LaFrance: 825 a
• John Totten: 690

August 11 Independent primary:

• Mike Last a

November 6 General election candidates:

Joshua Green: 11,351

Jeff LaFrance: 3,192

Mike Last

District 4

Note: Incumbent Democrat Shan Tsutsui won re-election in District 5.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Lorraine Inouye: 3,999
• Malama Solomon: 4,068 a - Incumbent Solomon first assumed office in 2010.

August 11 GOP primary:

• No Republicans filed to run for this seat.

August 11 Green primary:

• Kelly Greenwell a

November 6 General election candidates:

Malama Solomon: 9,828

Kelly Greenwell: 4,934

District 5

Note: Incumbent Democrat Rosalyn Baker won re-election in District 6.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Shan Tsutsui a - Incumbent Tsutsui first assumed office in 2003.

August 11 GOP primary:

• No Republicans filed to run for this seat.

November 6 General election candidates:

Shan Tsutsui

District 6

Note: Incumbent Democrat Jamie Kalani English won re-election in District 7.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Rosalyn Baker a - Incumbent Baker first assumed office in 2003.

August 11 GOP primary:

• Bart Mulvihill a

November 6 General election candidates:

Rosalyn Baker: 9,808

Bart Mulvihill: 3,717

District 7

Note: Incumbent Democrat Ronald Kouchi won re-election in District 8.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Jamie Kalani English: 5,456 a - English is an incumbent in District 6 who first assumed office in 2001.
• Barbara Haliniak: 1,994

August 11 GOP primary:

• No Republicans filed to run for this seat.

August 11 Independent primary:

• Kanohowailuku Helm a

November 6 General election candidates:

Jamie Kalani English

Kanohowailuku Helm

District 8

Note: Incumbent Republican Samuel Slom won re-election in District 9.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Ronald Kouchi a - Incumbent Kouchi first assumed office in 2010.

August 11 GOP primary:

• William Georgi a

November 6 General election candidates:

Ronald Kouchi: 17,887

William Georgi: 5,138

District 9

Note: Incumbent Democrat Les Ihara, Jr. won re-election in District 10.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Kurt Lajala a

August 11 GOP primary:

• Samuel Slom a - Incumbent Slom first assumed office in 1997.

November 6 General election candidates:

Kurt Lajala: 9,888

Samuel Slom: 14,934

District 10

Note: Incumbent Democrat Brian Taniguchi won re-election in District 11.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Les Ihara, Jr. a - Incumbent Ihara first assumed office in 1995.

August 11 GOP primary:

• Eric Marshall a

Note: Douglas Lupton filed for election, but did not appear on the primary ballot.

November 6 General election candidates:

Les Ihara, Jr.: 13,703

Eric Marshall: 3,934

District 11

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Carol Fukunaga: 5,254 - Incumbent Fukunaga first assumed office in 1993.
• Brian Taniguchi: 6,527 a - Incumbent Taniguchi first assumed office in 1995.

August 11 GOP primary:

• Larry Fenton a

November 6 General election candidates:

Brian Taniguchi: 15,639

Larry Fenton: 3,806

District 12

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Brickwood Galuteria a - Incumbent Galuteria first assumed office in 2009.

August 11 GOP primary:

• Liz Larson a

November 6 General election candidates:

Brickwood Galuteria: 9,134

Liz Larson: 4,963

District 13

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Suzanne Chun Oakland a - Incumbent Oakland first assumed office in 1997.

August 11 GOP primary:

• No Republicans filed to run for this seat.

November 6 General election candidates:

Suzanne Chun Oakland

District 14

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Donna Mercado Kim a - Incumbent Kim first assumed office in 2001.

August 11 GOP primary:

• No Republicans filed to run for this seat.

November 6 General election candidates:

Donna Mercado Kim

District 15

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Glenn Wakai a - Incumbent Wakai first assumed office in 2011.

August 11 GOP primary:

• No Republicans filed to run for this seat.

November 6 General election candidates:

Glenn Wakai

District 16

August 11 Democratic primary:

• David Ige a - Incumbent Ige first assumed office in 1995.

August 11 GOP primary:

• Mike Greco a

November 6 General election candidates:

David Ige: 14,156

Mike Greco: 3,705

District 17

Note: Incumbent Democrat Michelle Kidani won re-election in District 18.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Clarence Nishihara: 5,295 a - Incumbent Nishihara first assumed office in 2005.
• Alex Sonson: 3,365

August 11 GOP primary:

• No Republicans filed to run for this seat.

November 6 General election candidates:

Clarence Nishihara

District 18

Note: Incumbent Democrat Clarence Nishihara won re-election in District 17.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Michelle Kidani: 7,434 a - Incumbent Kidani first assumed office in 2009.
• Michael Magaoay: 4,077

August 11 GOP primary:

• Rojo Herrera a

November 6 General election candidates:

Michelle Kidani: 14,518

Rojo Herrera: 5,573

District 19

Note: Incumbent Democrat Mike Gabbard won re-election in District 20.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Will Espero: 4,449 a - Incumbent Espero first assumed office in 2003.
• Roger Lacuesta: 1,018

August 11 GOP primary:

• No Republicans filed to run for this seat.

November 6 General election candidates:

Will Espero

District 20

Note: Incumbent Democrat Will Espero won re-election in District 19.

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Mike Gabbard a - Incumbent Gabbard first assumed office in 2007.

August 11 GOP primary:

• Dean Capelouto a

November 6 General election candidates:

Mike Gabbard: 9,384

Dean Capelouto: 3,665

District 21

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Maile Shimabukuro a - Incumbent Shimabukuro first assumed office in 2011.

August 11 GOP primary:

• Dickyj Johnson a

November 6 General election candidates:

Maile Shimabukuro: 7,932

Dickyj Johnson: 2,405

District 22

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Donovan Dela Cruz a - Incumbent Cruz first assumed office in 2011.

August 11 GOP primary:

• Charles Aki a

November 6 General election candidates:

Donovan Dela Cruz: 10,393

Charles Aki: 3,740

District 23

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Clayton Hee a - Incumbent Hee first assumed office in 2005.

August 11 GOP primary:

• Colleen Meyer a

November 6 General election candidates:

Clayton Hee: 6,965

Colleen Meyer: 6,070

District 24

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Jill Tokuda a - Incumbent Tokuda first assumed office in 2007.

August 11 GOP primary:

• No Republicans filed to run for this seat.

November 6 General election candidates:

Jill Tokuda

District 25

August 11 Democratic primary:

• Levani Lipton: 1,474
• Pohai Ryan: 4,769 - Incumbent Ryan first assumed office in 2011.
• Laura Thielen: 6,236 a

August 11 GOP primary:

• Fred Hemmings a

November 6 General election candidates:

Laura Thielen: 13,703

Fred Hemmings: 9,333

See also

• Hawaii State Senate
• Hawaii State Legislature
• State legislative elections, 2012
• BP News: Hawaii Ethics Commission fines 22 candidates for failing to file financial disclosures July 27, 2012
• BP News: Hawaii primary elections face difficulties August 14, 2012

External links

• Unofficial general election results
• State of Hawaii: Office of Elections, "Federal/State/County Candidates, 2012 Primary Elections," accessed June 11, 2012 (dead link)
• Hawaii Office of Elections - Official 2012 Primary Results
• Hawaii Office of Elections - 2012 General Election Candidates

Footnotes

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Current members of the Hawaii State Senate

Leadership

Senate President:Ronald Kouchi

Majority Leader:Dru Kanuha

Minority Leader:Brenton Awa

Senators

District 1

Lorraine Inouye (D)

District 2

Joy Buenaventura (D)

District 3

Dru Kanuha (D)

District 4

Tim Richards (D)

District 5

Troy Hashimoto (D)

District 6

Angus McKelvey (D)

District 7

Lynn DeCoite (D)

District 8

Ronald Kouchi (D)

District 9

Stanley Chang (D)

District 10

Les Ihara (D)

District 11

Carol Fukunaga (D)

District 12

Sharon Moriwaki (D)

District 13

Karl Rhoads (D)

District 14

Donna Kim (D)

District 15

Glenn Wakai (D)

District 16

Brandon Elefante (D)

District 17

Donovan Cruz (D)

District 18

Michelle Kidani (D)

District 19

Henry Aquino (D)

District 20

Kurt Fevella (R)

District 21

Mike Gabbard (D)

District 22

Samantha DeCorte (R)

District 23

Brenton Awa (R)

District 24

Jarrett Keohokalole (D)

District 25

Chris Lee (D)

Democratic Party (22)

Republican Party (3)