Ige to Choose From 3 Names to Fill Big Island State Senate Seat

The 44 members of the Hawaiʻi County Democratic Party selection committee – comprised of the party’s precinct officers and district council officers who reside in Senate District 1 – have selected three names to send to Governor David Ige for his consideration to fill the Senate District 1 vacancy.

Those names are as follows:

• Christopher Toshiro Todd, the State Representative for District 2, who has also worked as a football and basketball coach for Hilo students and as a manager for Hawaiʻi Paper Products
• Maureen Nāmaka Rawlins, a Native Hawaiian community advocate and educator who has served as the past chairwoman of the Native Hawaiian Education Council and former Executive Director of ʻAha Pūnana Leo
• Laura Acasio, a substitute teacher who has served in multiple leadership roles within the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi and in nonprofits such as the Hilo Surfrider Foundation and Ka ʻUmeke Kaʻeo Public Charter School

The names have been formally transmitted to Gov. Ige. The Governor has approximately seven weeks to select one of these individuals to serve as the next Senator for Senate District 1.