AND AROUND THE FIRST TURN THEY COME

AND AROUND THE FIRST TURN THEY COME: Though a few filings for office are trickling in on Kaua`i this will be the last such leisurely May after a bill to move up the primary elections- and therefore the filing deadline- was signed this week.

From now on the second Saturday in August will replace the second Saturday in September for the “primaries” and that will push up the usual filing deadline in the third week in July to the first Tuesday in June.

So far, as of today, no one has even pulled papers- a term used for those who have taken out their papers but have not filed them- to challenge Mayor Bernard Carvalho who filed his papers on April 13.

Of the 12 who have pulled papers to run for county council- including only four incumbents- only 5 have actually filed, including incumbent Jay Furfaro who quietly filed to run for council on May 6 putting to rest any rumors that he might challenge Carvalho for the mayor’s job and possibly signaling that indeed Council Chair Kaipo Asing might be stepping down, leaving Furfaro to take the council reins after his challenge to Asing’ leadership after the 2008 election.

The others who have filed for council include former Planning Commissioner Theodore Daligdig III who filed on May 7, former Councilperson Mel Rapozo who filed back on February 2, social worker and community organizer and 2008 candidate Kipukai L Kualii, and planning consultant and newcomer Nadine K. Nakamura,

Those who have pulled papers but haven’t as yet filed include current councilpersons Tim L Bynum, Dick S Chang Jr and Derek Kawakami and former Mayor and Councilperson Joann Yukimura, along with Dennis M Fowler, Ronald J Horoshko and Edgar S Justus.

One surprise is that no one has even pulled papers for the one Kaua`i state senate slot, including former councilperson Ronald Kouchi who has announced he will run.

Although no one has as yet filed to run for any of the three state house districts incumbent District 14 Representative Hermina M “Mina” Morita has pulled her papers to run as a Democrat.

In the 15th District, incumbent Democrat James Tokioka, Republican Lawrence Fillhart, and John Hoff, a perennial Republican candidate this time running under the Non-Partisan banner, have all pulled papers but have not filed yet.

The 16th District finds a potential primary battle with a challenge to incumbent Roland Diaz Sagum coming from fellow Democrat Daynette Morikawa- neither of whom has filed the papers they pulled.

Pretty slim pickin’s so far this year although in the case of the council it’s understandable given that seemingly no council members are itching for higher office and two ex-members are running along with a former strong candidate in Kualii- who finished just out of the running in ’08- and given an expected strong showing from the well-connected Nakamura who has had lots of buzz among progressives.

It’s a shame though that strong challenges aren’t apparently on the horizon for Tokioka and Sagum who are seen as vulnerable by many.

Carvalho who has been amassing a war chest and union endorsements to rival some mayors of “olden days” doesn’t seem to have any challengers as yet, even though many of his controversial decisions and various faux pas have disillusioned many of those who said they would “give him a chance” but have vowed to “never make that mistake again.”

Information on how to run along with papers to do so are available at county clerk’s office, at 3371-A Wilcox Road in Nawiliwili, or by calling 241-4188.