State Board Election

Results of 2023 HGEA State Board Election

Here are the unofficial results of the 2023-2025 HGEA President and Board of Directors Election. Mahalo to all who ran and voted in this year's elections. The results are unofficial until after the 10-day protest period. The results become official after May 23, 2023.

President (1 seat) 

Ginet U. Hayes, Oahu
Section Administrator
State Dept. of Human Services
Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Unit 13 (3 seats) 

Joycelyn "Jolly" Iwata, Kauai
Administrative Specialist IV
State Dept. of Health
Adult Mental Health Division
Click here to view full candidate profile.
Cheryl Pokipala, Maui
Case Manager
State Dept. of Health
Adult Mental Health Division
Click here to view full candidate profile.
Bennett T. Yap, Oahu
IT Manager
State Dept. of Labor and Industrial Relations
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Unit 15 (1 seat)  

Jonah I. Romero, Maui
Ocean Safety Officer III, Lieutenant
Maui Dept. of Fire and Public Safety
Ocean Safety Bureau
Click here to view full candidate profile.

RUN-OFF ELECTION FOR OAHU DIRECTOR-AT-LARGE (1 seat)

In the race for Oahu Director-At-Large, the candidate with the highest number of votes did not obtain enough votes to constitute a "majority vote." A winner in that race cannot be declared at this time. A run-off election must be conducted between the two candidates who ran first and second, according to AFSCME's Local Union Election Manual.

The top two candidates for Oahu Director-At-Large are Helen H. Hamada and Elwyn L. Watkins.

All active HGEA members on Oahu should receive a ballot for Oahu Director-At-Large by June 7. Completed ballots must be mailed by June 20. The last day for our third-party election vendor, N&K CPAs, to receive ballots postmarked by the deadline is June 30.

If you do not receive a ballot by June 7, you can request one from N&K CPAs by calling (808) 524-2255. The deadline to request a ballot is June 13 at 4:30 p.m.

 

Helen H. Hamada, Oahu
Graphic Designer
University of Hawaii
Kapiolani Community College
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Elwyn L. Watkins, Oahu
Building and Security Systems Engineer
University of Hawaii
John A. Burns School of Medicine
Click here to view full candidate profile.

UNOPPOSED CANDIDATES

The following 14 candidates ran unopposed and are automatically elected.

Unit 2 Director (1 seat)

Jason R. Locke, Oahu
Custodian IV
State Dept. of Education
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Unit 3 Directors (5 seats)

Helena B. R. Brown, Maui
Educational Assistant III
State Dept. of Education
Click here to view full candidate profile.
Ebony V. Butihi, Maui
Documentation Specialist
State Dept. of Land and Natural Resources
Land Division
Click here to view full candidate profile.
Ryvette G. Figueroa, Maui
Commission Support Clerk
Maui Dept. of Finance
Real Property Assessments Division
Click here to view full candidate profile.
Jon A. Gasper, Oahu
Clerk V
State Dept. of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Professional & Vocational Licensing Division
Click here to view full candidate profile.
Vernon L. Verzon, Oahu
Educational Assistant III
State Dept. of Education
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Unit 4 Director (1 seat)

Kepa E. Kekaualua, Hawaii
Highway Construction & Maintenance Superintendent VI
State Dept. of Transportation
Highways Division
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Unit 6 Director (1 seat)

James L. Sunday, Oahu
Principal
State Dept. of Education
Radford High School
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Unit 8 Director (1 Seat)

Jaret K. C. Leong, Oahu
Director
University of Hawaii-Manoa
Manoa Academy and Academic Pathways
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Unit 9 (1 seat)

Josette K. Kawana, Oahu
Registered Nurse
State Dept. of Health
Hawaii State Hospital
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Unit 14 (1 seat)

Charles R. Among Jr., Oahu
Deputy Sheriff II
State Dept. of Public Safety
Sheriff Division
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Hawaii Director-at-Large (1 seat)

Sandra "Sandy" Moses, Hawaii
Account Clerk IV
State Dept. of Public Safety
Hawaii Community Correctional Center
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Kauai Director-at-Large (1 seat)

Russell K. Wellington, Kauai
Recreation Coordinator II
Kauai Dept. of Parks & Recreation
Recreation Division
Click here to view full candidate profile.

Maui Director-at-Large (1 seat)

Cameron J. Dexter, Maui
Social Worker IV
Judiciary
Maui Drug Court
Click here to view full candidate profile.

 

 

Ballots were sent to all active HGEA members in early April.

 

2023-2025 State Board of Directors Election

Elections for the 2023–2025 term of office for the president and board of directors are being held this year. 

All active HGEA members will receive a ballot to vote for President. If you belong to Bargaining Units 13 and 15, you will also receive a ballot for your unit director. All members on Oahu will also receive an additional ballot for the Oahu Director-At-Large. Candidates who ran unopposed were automatically elected, thus there will be no ballots for those races.

Key dates in the regular election schedule are:

  • Saturday, March 18 – Monday, April 17: Period for mailing ballots
  • Tuesday, May 2: Last day to vote (Election Date)
  • Friday, May 12: Deadline to receive mailed ballots postmarked by the election date
  • Monday, May 15: Ballots counted and results certified

Should a run-off election be necessary, the key dates in the run-off election schedule are:

  • Monday, May 29  Monday, June 5: Period for mailing run-off ballots
  • Tuesday, June 20: Last day to vote (Run-off Election Date)
  • Friday, June 30: Deadline to receive mailed ballots postmarked by the run-off election date
  • Monday, July 3: Run-off ballots counted and results certified

The president and directors will serve from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025. They are not paid for their service.

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The application period is now closed