Former state Rep. Andria Tupola has a huge financial advantage over a trio of first-time council candidates running to disrupt politics-as-usual in District 1.

Ritte warns tourism must be controlled, while DeCoite sees a need for jobs.

As ballots go out, concerns linger over the potential for disenfranchisement but officials say they have adopted lessons from other states and will learn from the primary election.

Successful nonpartisans must get 10% of the total votes to move from the primary to the general election.

Only one candidate said the state should welcome tourists immediately without requiring some kind of testing or quarantine.

The coronavirus pandemic has restricted campaigning and made the economic crisis the dominant issue.

The PAC has not reported where it’s getting its money. The next state report isn’t due until just before the primary.

In an hourlong conversation, the candidate fields questions from Civil Beat and Hawaii News Now on leadership, trust, tourism and the economy.

Hawaii is moving to a vote-by-mail system for the first time this year. Ballots are expected to go out to voters on July 20. They need to be back to the elections office by Aug. 8.

In an hourlong conversation, the candidate fields questions from Civil Beat and Hawaii News Now on leadership, policing, agriculture and the economy.