Jacce Mikulanec, Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, Florence Kong Kee and Tim Vandeveer are vying to replace Stephanie Ohigashi as chair of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.

The election will be held at the party’s state convention this weekend at the Sheraton Waikiki.

Mikulanec works in government relations for the Hawaii Medical Service Association, Dos Santos-Tam is executive director of the Hawaii Construction Alliance, Kong Kee is a government affairs specialist with United Public Workers and Vandeveer is a grassroots activist known for his work with the Defend Oahu Coalition.

The entire Democratic Party Unity Breakfast nominees are shown in this morning after the primary image made up of three photographs. August 14, 2014.
Democratic Party candidates at a Unity Breakfast at Dole Cannery in August 2014. PF Bentley/Civil Beat

Other highlights of the two-day meeting are speeches from top Dems such as Gov. David Ige and all four members of the congressional delegation, the selection of party resolutions and the election of national convention delegates.

Will Bernie Sanders supporters mesh well with Hillary Clinton supporters? Will Colleen Hanabusa announce she’s running to replace U.S. Rep. Mark Takai? Will this reporter find a nice, comfortable place at the Sheraton ballroom to type on his laptop and plug in his cell phone?

All that and more will be known soon enough.

“Our biennial convention is a special time for Hawaii Democrats. With over a thousand delegates, alternates, party officials, elected officials, student observers and guests gathering at this convention, it’s an opportunity to visit with old friends, make new friends and to do the important work of moving Hawaii forward,” Chair Ohigashi said in a press release Wednesday. “I absolutely look forward to seeing my fellow Hawaii Democrats from across the state.”

Hawaii Republicans met last Saturday for their convention. It was not boring.

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