Native Hawaiian ʻAha Candidates Registration Deadline, Sept. 15

Hawaii flag. File photo by Wendy Osher.

By Maui Now Staff

Naʻi Aupuni issued a reminder to all Native Hawaiians certified by Kanaʻiolowalu, the Native Hawaiian Roll, that the deadline to file as a delegate candidate to the Native Hawaiian constitutional convention, or ‘Aha, is Sept. 15, 2015. Candidates may file their nominations online.

Naʻi Aupuni is an independent organization made up of a volunteer board of directors from the Hawaiian community.  The group was established “solely to create a path to Hawaiian self-determination.”

Delegate candidates must live in the area in which they run and will be elected by voters in that area. Delegates will be apportioned as indicated below:

• Oʻahu – Represented by 20 delegates.
• Hawaiʻi Island – Represented by 7 delegates.
• Maui – Represented by 3 delegates.
• Kauaʻi & Niʻihau – Represented by 2 delegates.
• Molokaʻi & Lānaʻi –Represented by 1 delegate.
• Out-of-state Hawaiians – Represented by 7 delegates.

Below is a timeline for the delegate election process:

• Sept. 15: Deadline to file as a delegate.
• Sept. 30: List of qualified delegates announced.
• Oct. 15: Voter registration closes.
• Nov. 1: Ballots for election of delegates sent to certified voters.
• Nov. 30: Delegate voting ends.
• Dec. 1: Election results announced publicly.

Naʻi Aupuni not only encourages Hawaiians who want to run in the election for convention delegates to sign up, but encourages all Hawaiians to register to vote in the election itself. Hawaiians who have not yet registered can do so at the Native Hawaiian Roll Commission’s website or at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs website. Information about the election process can be found at the Naʻi Aupuni website or by emailing [email protected].