The primary elections are where the candidates for the general elections are decided. For example, Ed Case is our current representative and he was the Democratic Party’s candidate in the general election. However, before that he had to run against other members of the Democratic Party and win the primary election in order to run in the general.

Rules vary from state to state, but in Hawaii, anyone can vote in a party’s primary regardless of party affiliation. That means a Republican can vote for a Democratic Party candidate, and vice versa.

In the state of Hawaii, voting in primary elections is particularly important due to the “open” nature of the primaries. While some states have “closed” primaries where only members of a particular party can vote on the party’s nominees, anyone regardless of party affiliation may vote for a party’s nominee in Hawaii. While our system has the advantage of enfranchising every citizen to have a say in their political future, it also has the disadvantage of letting “Trojan horse” candidates run in a party’s primary, thus enabling the opposing party’s voters to cause the nomination of a candidate who is a member of one party on paper, but acts in the interest of the other party once elected. Many people do not know this fact and take for granted that the Democratic Party candidate in a general election holds Democratic ideals. In our last Congressional election in 2024, only 32% of eligible voters voted in the Democratic Party Primary (source). The only way to negate that disadvantage is to leverage the advantages of the system itself and have as many people vote in the primaries as possible to ensure that the people’s will is faithfully carried out.

For this year, ballots start being mailed out July 21 and final day of voting is August 8, 2026.

In the comfort of one’s own home or an official polling station.

Quite easily by following these steps:

1. Confirm your voter registration status or register to vote in the state of Hawaii.

2. Wait for your ballot to arrive by mail (Delivery starts July 21). In the meantime, tell all your friends to make sure their registered voter information is correct or register to vote if they haven’t. Don’t forget about overseas voters! Military abroad can request an absentee ballot. Civilian residents, such as college students, who will be away from home during the election can request an absentee ballot as well

3. When the ballot arrives in the mail, read the candidate ballot statements on the ballot, verify anything that you feel needs verifying, and mark the party and nominee that you are voting for. (Link to guide to voting on the primary ballot to come)

4. Seal the ballot and drop it off in your outgoing mailbox or at a designated ballot box (Deadline: August 8).

As the author of this website, I may be biased in my opinion, but I think that I, Nick Kiswanto, would make an excellent choice for CD1. As an immigrant who came from Indonesia to America with his father, mother, and younger brother, I understand the values of CD1.  As a patent examiner of seventeen years from 2007 to 2024, I am familiar with navigating federal bureaucracy and analyzing legislation. As an American, I love this country for the opportunities it has given me and the capacity to craft my own destiny.  I believe I bring a unique perspective and skill set to represent CD1 and steward our community to be better prepared to thrive in a complex and fast-changing future while honoring the traditions and values that make us who we are.  I believe big money has corrupted politics to an unimaginable degree, which is why I am running without accepting any private donations in order to literally take money out of politics.  I may not be a career politician, but I think America’s leadership has gone astray under the current model of career politicians who spend a significant amount of their time fundraising and campaigning for re-election rather than working for their constituents.

If I were elected, all residents of CD1 would have equal opportunity to communicate their needs and other concerns to their representative. My politics would be categorized as progressive. I believe that everyone has the right to live how they want to live as long as it doesn’t harm another, that everyone who can should pay their fair share, and that nobody is above the law. I won’t promise results because that is impossible, what I can and will promise you if I were elected as your representative is transparency, collaboration, and ingenuity.

(Video to come)