KAILUA-KONA — Who will it be? Hillary, Bernie or Rocky?
KAILUA-KONA — Who will it be? Hillary, Bernie or Rocky?
That’s what Hawaii Democrats will decide when they cast their ballots Saturday in the Hawaii Democratic Party Presidential Preference Poll, or caucus, at an array of locations around Hawaii Island. On the ballot are former Secretary of State and Sen. Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, a U.S. Senator from Vermont whose wife is visiting Honolulu today, and Rocky de la Fuente, a businessman, developer and real estate tycoon from San Diego. Also on the ballot is Martin O’Malley, who in February suspended his presidential bid.
From the caucus, the state party will decide how to split up its 34 delegates to the Democratic National Convention slated July 25-28 in Philadelphia. At stake are 4,763 delegates, of which a candidate must secure 2,383 to win the party nomination.
The Hawaii County Democrats hope for a better turnout than in 2012, when President Barack Obama opted to seek a second term in office, compared to 2008 when the contest between Hawaii-born Obama and Clinton drew more than 37,500 party members to polls statewide. Some 5,868 of those members voted at polls on Hawaii Island in 2008.
“It was nuts here,” Phil Barnes, chairman of the Hawaii County Democrats, said about the 2008 election. “We ran out of ballots in 10 minutes and people were voting on napkins and coupons and the lines were just horrendous.”
“We’re hoping to have the same thing happen this year,” Barnes said, pointing to a recent increase in party membership and the energy surrounding this year’s presidential race. Since Dec. 1, 2015, in Hawaii County alone, enrollment has surged by 799, bringing total party membership among the seven districts to just over 8,900.
Doors open at noon and voting will begin at 1 p.m. In addition to the preference poll, members will elect precinct officers and delegates for the Hawaii County Democratic Party Convention April 30 in Kailua-Kona and state convention May 28-29 on Oahu, and perhaps the national event in July.
To participate, a valid Hawaii driver’s license or state ID is recommended, but not required, as is membership in the Hawaii Democratic Party. Voter registration and party membership will be offered at the event, however, people will need to provide in addition to a driver’s license or state ID, their Social Security number and current street address.
Party members unsure of their precinct number can enter their street name at https://www4.honolulu.gov/vote/or call the County of Hawaii Elections Division at 961-8277 for more information.
Following the March 15 presidential and primary caucuses held around the United States, Clinton Clinton had a steady lead over U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders at 1,606-851. De la Fuente has won no delegates, according to the Associated Press as of Wednesday.
The Republican equivalent of the Presidential Preference Poll was held March 8. The caucus drew more than 15,600 voters, and Donald Trump won the lion’s share of Hawaii’s Republican delegates with 11 of the state’s 19 delegates.
Who: All Hawaii voters who are members of the Democratic Party of Hawaii. Voters may register to vote or become a member of the party online ahead of the meetings and poll or at the event.
When: Saturday, March 26. Voting starts at 1 p.m.; doors open at noon
Where: House District 1, precincts 1-2, North Hawaii Education &Resource Center conference room 2, 45-539 Plumeria Street, Honokaa; HD-1, precincts 3-5, Laupahoehoe School Library; HD-1, precincts 6-9, Clem Akina Park Center, Wainaku. House District 2, precincts 1-5 (all), Keaukaha Elementary School Cafeteria. House District 3, precincts 1-6, Keaau Community Center; HD-3, precinct 7, Pahala Community Center. House District 4, precincts 1-4 (all), Pahoa Intermediate/HIgh School Cafeteria. House District 5, precinct 1, Pahala Community Center; HD-5, precincts 2-4, Ocean View Community Center; HD-5, precincts 5-8, Konawaena High School Cafeteria. House District 6, precicnts 1-5 (all), Old Kona Aiport Park Makaeo Event Pavilion. House District 7, precinct 1, Old Kona Aiport Park Makaeo Event Pavilion; HD-7, precinct 2, Waikoloa School Cafetiera; HD-7, precinct 3, Kohala High/Elementary School Cafeteria; HD-7, precincts 4-5, Waimea School Cafeteria.
Info: www.HawaiiCountyDemocrats.org or www.hawaiidemocrats.org.