Category: Democratic Party of Hawai‘i

HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS CAUCUS ENDORSES REPRESENTATIVE ED CASE

The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus endorses Representative Ed Case for reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Hawaiʻi’s First Congressional District.

The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus Priorities include the Advancement and Preservation of Native Hawaiian rights, self-determination, ‘ōlelo Hawai’i,  traditional customary and cultural practices, sacred sites, ancestral/ceded lands and waters, and the  maintenance and promotion of the  well-being of our people.

Congressman Case affirms the distinct political and trust relationship between the United States and Native Hawaiians as an Indigenous people, and has sought to uphold the federal government’s responsibilities to our community. He has made self-determination a priority, with Native Hawaiian voices at the center of conversations about self-governance.

As a Senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, he has worked to secure and protect federal funding for Native Hawaiian education, health care, and housing. His efforts include defending the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant and supporting the continued funding for Papa Ola Lōkahi and the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems.

Significantly, he played a pivotal role in including our Native Hawaiian Community in the consultation Policy with the Department of Interior.  Congressman Case has also  advocated for expanded cultural tourism opportunities and better health care for Native Hawaiian veterans. He has also supported legislation to protect Hawaiian cultural resources, preserve Indigenous languages, and recognize ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Month and Hawaiian History Month.

The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus is guided by Pono, Aloha, Kuleana and Mālama ‘Aina. We endorse Congressman Case and look forward to working with him to advance the interests of our Lāhui and all of Hawaiʻi’s communities.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Vote. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3. If you live in the First Congressional District and still have your ballot, return it to an official ballot drop box or voter service center by 7 p.m. on November 3.

Volunteer. Connect with the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi coordinated campaign to learn about opportunities to participate in the final days before the election.

Talk story. Remind your ʻohana, friends, and coworkers to participate in the General Election and return their ballots on time.

Share. Forward this email and share the Caucus’s endorsement on social media.

Mahalo to our members who participated in the October 31 endorsement vote.

Mahalo,

Hawaiian Affairs Caucus
Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi

Aloha members, friends, and ʻohana of the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus:

The Hawaiian Affairs Caucus calls on every member of our lāhui and every person who calls Hawaiʻi home to vote in the 2026 General Election on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Our kūpuna, and generations of Hawaiians and allies who stood beside them, fought to protect our lands, our language, our right to govern ourselves, and our right to be heard. Voting is one of the ways we carry that kuleana forward. Those we elect will shape housing for our families, protection of our ʻāina and wai, funding for Hawaiian programs, and the future of our keiki.

First, return your ballot. Ballots should have arrived by October 16. Your ballot must be received by 7:00 p.m. on November 3, and a postmark is not enough. If you are mailing it, send it by Tuesday, October 27. After that, bring it to a drop box or voter service center. If you have not received your ballot, contact your county elections office.

Second, use a voter service center if you need one. Centers are open October 20 through November 3, except Sundays, for in person voting. If you are not yet registered, you can register and vote on the same day at any voter service center.

Finally, bring someone with you. Offer a ride, help a kupuna return their ballot, and remind first time voters that their voice matters.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs races. This year there are three OHA races on your ballot: At Large, Oʻahu, and Maui. Every registered voter in the state can vote in all three. To help you decide, we sent our nonpartisan 2026 OHA Candidate Questionnaire to all six At Large candidates. We have attached responses from those who completed it: Brickwood Galuteria, Ikaika Anderson, and Adrian Akina. Every candidate received the same questions, and we mahalo those who took the time to respond.

Mahalo to Trustee Kalei Akaka and Kumu Hina Wong Kalu, candidates for the Oʻahu seat, for joining our October 18 General Membership meeting and responding to a question from our members.

We vote for our lāhui, for our ʻāina, and for the generations still to come. Every ballot is a voice for our people.

For locations and details, visit elections.hawaii.gov.

Me ke aloha,
Mokihana Maldonado
Chair, Hawaiian Affairs Caucus

Aloha Hawaiian Affairs Caucus,

As we head into the final weeks before the General Election, I want to personally invite you to join us this Friday for our HAC ʻOnipaʻa Fundraiser – Her Legacy, Our Future.

ʻOnipaʻa — steadfast, firm, unmovable — carries special meaning for us. During Hawaiian History Month, we gather in honor of Queen Liliʻuokalani, whose courage, dignity, and unwavering aloha for her people continue to inspire us.

Her example reminds us that leadership is not only about the challenges immediately before us, but about remaining grounded in our values and accepting our kuleana to those who will come after us. 

That message feels especially important in today’s world.

Election seasons can bring differences of opinion, strong feelings, and spirited debate.

But as members of the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus, there is far more that unites us than divides us. We share a responsibility to ensure Native Hawaiian voices are heard, the issues affecting our lāhui remain part of the political conversation, and Hawaiian values such as aloha, kuleana, mālama ʻāina, and pono continue to have a meaningful place within the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

Friday evening allows us to come together around that shared purpose.

The funds we raise will support the Caucus’s advocacy and outreach, help us prepare to celebrate our 20th anniversary in 2027, and support the broader work of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

More importantly, your participation helps build a stronger Caucus. One that can educate, organize, advocate, and show up when our community needs its voice heard.

Kahu Makuakāne of Kawaiahaʻo Church will also join us as we reflect upon and honor Queen Liliʻuokalani’s extraordinary legacy.

Honoring our Queen means remembering her example and carrying it forward.

Event Details:

HAC ʻOnipaʻa Fundraiser – Her Legacy, Our Future

Friday, September 25 | 5:00–8:30 p.m.

801 South Street, Meeting Room A

Parking: Enter Garage A from Kawaiahaʻo Street. Park on Floors 10 and 11.

Check in: After parking, take the elevator down to the lobby floor and check in at the security desk. Let them know you are here for Meeting Room A.

Attire: Aloha or Business Casual 

I hope you will join us Friday for an evening of fellowship, reflection, and renewed commitment to the work we share. ʻOnipaʻa kākou.

Me ke aloha pumehana,

Mokihana Maldonado, Chair

Hawaiian Affairs Caucus

Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi

ʻOnipaʻa – Her Legacy, Our Future 

Special General Membership Meeting of the Hawaiian Affairs Caucus – Democratic  Party of Hawaii on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, 7:00 p.m.The meeting will be held virtually with the Zoom information below.