Senator David Ige (left – courtesy photo) and Governor Neil Abercrombie (right – photo by Wendy Osher).

By Wendy Osher

AARP Hawaii will sponsor a gubernatorial debate between Governor Neil Abercrombie and state Senator David Ige at the Maui Beach Hotel in Kahului on Friday, July 18.

The candidates are among a list of 12 that are in the running for governor, and two of three that are running on the Democratic ticket.

The debate will take place from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., and will follow a federal and state issue voter education forum that starts at 9:30 a.m. at the same location.

The public is welcome to attend, but seating is limited and registration is required. Individuals interested in attending should register online or call toll-free 1-877-926-8300.

The event is the first of four scheduled debates between Abercrombie and Ige, and is one of several issue forums that the AARP is planning this election season.

AARP is also sponsoring gubernatorial debates in Hilo on July 28, in Kona on July 29, and in Honolulu on Aug. 2.

“The debate will focus on issues of importance to older voters – including health care, retirement security, jobs, support for family caregiving, and long-term care,” according to an AARP announcement.

As part of the debate, questions will be taken from the audience and candidates will be permitted to question each other directly. The debate will be moderated by University of Hawaiʻi Associate Professor of Journalism Gerald Kato.

The AARP is a nonprofit organization that has nearly 150,000 members in Hawaiʻi.

The complete list of gubernatorial candidates in the 2014 election are: Neil Abercrombie (D); Duke Aiona (R); Charles “Trump” Collins (R); Jeff Davis (L); Misty Davis (N); Khis DeJean Caldwell (N); Stuart Todd Gregory (R); Mufi Hannemann (I); David Yutaka Ige (D): Richard Morse (N); Joseph R. Spatola (N): and Van K. “Tanaban” Tanabe (D).