We help the people of Kailua-Kona take political actions that promote inclusion, tolerance, and fairness.
Dark money vs. clean elections - your primary ballot decides.
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The primary ballots have arrived, and the countdown is on. Last Sunday's Good Trouble Lives On Pop-Up rally honoring John Lewis reminded us exactly what's at stake. Now we're doing another Pop-Up - ICE Out for Good - and it's time to bring that same momentum to the ballot box. In this publication:
Complete and Return Your Ballots NowWe are focused on one objective for the next two weeks: electing the leaders we deserve. As we've written many times, the primary is the election that matters in Hawai'i. Apathy is very much on the ballot. The 2024 primary turnout across the Kona legislative districts (6 & 7) was a mere 32%, similar to the statewide average, and a record low for Hawai'i voter participation. For the local races, we held a Meet the Candidates on July 12 forum, where Hawaii Public Radio (HPR) veteran Sherry Bracken interviewed the candidates. If you missed it, the interview recordings are now available. We have also reached out to the candidates and asked them to sign a pledge that reflects our values. See who signed the pledge on this page. Get Your Friends and Family InvolvedRecord a short video to tell your friends how you are voting. Here's an example. Don't let your family off the hook. Have them tell you their plan for voting so you can make sure it happens on time. TAKE ACTION: Find your nearest voter service center or ballot drop box. Della v. DerekThe most consequential race on this ballot is for Lieutenant Governor. We endorse Della Au Belatti. She has been a tireless advocate for migrant rights, working families, healthcare access, environmental restoration, LGBTQ+ rights, and especially, good government. Along with Kanani Souza, Della co-chaired the Good Government caucus in the Legislature. They were instrumental in making Act 11 (SB2471) law - the first measure in the US to block dark money and mitigate the damage to our democracy from Citizens United. The law takes effect July 1, 2027. As fate has it, Della is running against a dark money favorite, Derek Kawakami. Look closely. Derek's advertising is being funded by "For a Better Tomorrow," a Super PAC run by Pacific Resource Partnership (PRP). It is the fifth Super PAC from PRP in a decade, with millions of dollars in dark political spending every Hawai'i election. Like other dark money actors, PRP keeps changing the super PAC name, hoping to keep the public uninformed. Civil Beat describes how PRP has become a political funding behemoth, known for playing hardball in Hawai'i's elections. The contrast is stark. Della is being supported through small donations from you and me, which will allow her to qualify for a public campaign financing match. We're not fooled. It's a clear choice. Della is a champion of clean elections. Derek is beholden to dark money interests. She has our votes. There's a Civil Beat Candidate Forum Wednesday, July 22 at 5:00 pm. Della will be there with John Choi, who is also running. But Derek is again hiding from public debate. You can register to watch the event livestream or to get a recording of the event. Register here. TAKE ACTION: Support Della at the Grand rally in Hilo on July 25 or phone bank to get out the vote. Register. Pop-Up Rally: ICE Out for GoodMahalo to everyone who joined us at last Sunday's Good Trouble Lives On Pop-Up rally honoring John Lewis! It is so important that we show up in our community right now and remind everyone exactly what is at stake. That's why we're doing another Pop-Up: ICE Out for Good. Enough is enough. This "ICE Out" Day of Action and Accountability takes place nationwide on Saturday, July 25. It's organized in response to the recent fatal shootings of community members by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Local demonstrations, rallies, and vigils will be held across the country. Organizers are calling for full investigations, the release of key witnesses, the defunding of ICE, and an end to mass detention and deportation policies. We're demanding an end to ICE's violence. No more senseless deaths. When: Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 4:00-5:00 pm TAKE ACTION: RSVP on Mobilize - it helps us reach everyone if anything changes at the last minute. Postcards Change Election OutcomesParticipation in our democracy is truly patriotic! Let's celebrate our country's 250th birthday by encouraging fellow voters to make our country better. The midterms will be here before you know it, and we need as many people as possible to cast their votes. Why write postcards? They work! The Center for Common Ground found an 8.2% increase in Black voter turnout in the 2024 Virginia general election and a 3.6% increase in Black voter turnout during the 2024 Georgia general election for groups that received postcards compared to groups that didn't receive postcards. When you look at how close some races are, this increase can be the determining factor in an election. We're currently writing Get Out the Vote (GOTV) postcards for Alaska. The Senate race in Alaska is very competitive, despite Alaska typically being a red state. Come join us at Gypsea Gelato on Thursdays to write GOTV postcards with a fun group of like-minded postcard heroes. If you can't join us on Thursdays or if you prefer to write in the comfort of your own home, you can order postcards by going to the Kona Indivisible (KIND) website. If you don't like to write, you can still participate by donating stamps or donating to KIND to support our stamp purchases. TAKE ACTION: Join the postcard party every Thursday from 1:30-3:00 pm at Gypsea Gelato in Kealakekua. Register. Mahalo again for your efforts to help us fight for our democracy. Hope to see you at the ballot drop box! Sam & the KIND Leadership Team
P.S. You may also receive the Sunday newsletter from the Indivisible Hawai'i Statewide Network, which covers both national and state news. Our newsletter focuses on county and local happenings and actions unique to the Big Island. |
Kona Indivisible
We help the people of Kailua-Kona take political actions that promote inclusion, tolerance, and fairness.
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