Spotlight Now: Rep. Tokuda on economic ‘fear’; election chief on securing the vote

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Today’s episode of Spotlight Now highlights federal legislative priorities, an update on this weekend’s primary election, and local community giving programs.

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‘There’s a lot of fear’: Tokuda calls for tariff rebates to ease economic strain

Returning to the district for the August recess, U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, said she is hearing widespread economic anxiety from constituents across the state.

“There’s a lot of concern, I’m going to be honest. There’s a lot of fear,” Tokuda said. “How do you stretch that dollar farther when the price of gas is almost $6 for regular gas… and food is so expensive.”

Tokuda said tariffs have played a big part in rising costs, and she wants to get some of that money back in the hands of taxpayers.

“Because of the Supreme Court decision, now (the Trump administration is) looking at refunds and rebates. Let’s make sure that it’s not the big corporations and companies getting those rebates. It’s actually going back into your pocket, because you paid for it,” she said.

“That’s something that Congress has to be accountable for. That is something we have to have oversight over,” Tokuda added. “How do we refund taxpayers for the taxes they paid through tariffs last year alone — tens of billions of dollars?”

‘Very disturbing’: Opponent’s viral altercation, prior offenses

When asked about a viral video of one of her primary opponents in a violent altercation on Maui, Tokuda said, “It’s very disturbing, saddening to see a candidate running for federal office making a court appearance for a very violent act that many have seen on videos — not even his first one.

“I do think the first instance where he took a gun into a Maui County building, that’s very, very concerning as well and needs to be taken seriously. And any individual, whether you’re running for office or are a public citizen, you need to be held accountable for your actions,” she added.

Former colleagues’ corruption indictments ‘difficult’ and ‘personal’

As a former state lawmaker, the congresswoman also shared her thoughts on the bribery charges against some of her former colleagues.

“It’s been difficult because it is personal,” she said. “I served with these members. They’re friends. We’ve negotiated. We’ve been through really tough times as a state together. So it’s very difficult to see this.

“We cannot have corruption in government, but I would just say right now we need to let the process play out — and it hasn’t been to this point,” Tokuda added. “It’s been a very prolonged process with very little information. The fact that you’ve got this indictment means that people can now go to court. They can have their day in court to be able to provide their evidence, make their case either way on both sides, and while the court of public opinion is fierce one, and it has been making its statements from day one, at the end of the day we have to let the courts decide.”

Election chief addresses ballot confusion, security ahead of primary

Hawaii Chief Election Officer Scott Nago joined Spotlight Now to address voter questions, ballot security, and counting logistics ahead of Saturday’s primary election.

Over 160,000 ballots have already been returned, which Nago noted is tracking on par with the turnout from the primary election two years ago.

Council District 4 ballot confusion

Nago clarified the fluid situation in Honolulu City Council District 4, where a judge recently declared Council Chair Tommy Waters’ candidacy invalid.

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Despite the court ruling, Waters’ name remains on the printed ballots. Nago confirmed that while any votes cast for Waters will physically show up on the initial printouts on Saturday night, they will not legally count toward electing him.

“If you already cast the ballot in Council District 4, your ballot will be counted,” Nago said. “The city clerk just issued a press release this past weekend that votes for Tommy Waters would not be counted.”

Nago acknowledged the public frustration over the timing of the court’s decision but urged patience.

“It’s taking a long time, but it’s the court process and we have to let it play out. We don’t want to issue any kind of messaging that may change,” Nago said, adding that any future determination of a potential special election for District 4 rests entirely with the city clerk’s office.

In-person voting and ballot drop-offs

To prevent long lines at voter service centers from delaying statewide result releases, Nago urged voters not to wait until the last minute. By law, the state cannot release the first round of printouts until the final person in line at any voter service center has cast their ballot.

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Voters planning to drop off their mail-in ballots should bypass the post office entirely at this stage and take them directly to an official county drop box or voter service center before 7 p.m. on Saturday.

“Ballots must be received by 7 p.m., not postmarked,” Nago said. “So if you still have your ballot, don’t stick it in the mail. Drop it in a place of deposit or take it to a voter service center.”

On Oahu, main voter service centers are open at Honolulu Hale and Kapolei Hale. Satellite pop-up locations at Wahiawa District Park and Kaneohe District Park will remain open until Friday but will be closed on election day.

Aloha United Way Workplace Campaigns empower employees with ‘donor choice’

As Hawaii families face escalating financial stress, Aloha United Way (AUW) is set to launch its annual Workplace Campaigns to provide critical funding for the state’s nonprofit safety net.

Speaking on Spotlight Now, Kaʻili Trask OʻConnell, AUW’s vice president of resource development and donor relations, said the campaign serves as a major foundation of income for local charities. Last year, the program worked with over 150 companies and drew donations from more than 3,000 employees across Oahu.

OʻConnell highlighted that a unique feature of the program is “donor choice,” which allows participants to direct their contributions to areas they are most passionate about.

“People want to donate to what’s important to them,” OʻConnell said. “So when they donate through the Workplace Giving Campaign, they have choice. They can choose to donate to one of AUW’s initiatives, or they can choose to donate to any of the many partner agencies.

“It’s really a powerful way for our community to come together and be able to give back to those in need,” OʻConnell said.

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