The Hawaiʻi
State Constitutional Convention Clearinghouse
Information Related to Hawaiʻi's November 6, 2018 State Constitutional Convention Referendum
Report Due Dates
First Report Due October 1, 2018 (for the period ending September 26)
No reported expenditures by a ballot issue committee.
There was only one registered committee, Preserve Our Hawaii, devoted to the constitutional convention referendum. It had no reported receipts or expenditures. Preserve Our Hawaii is headed by Karlie Asato whose title has been Legislative Support Staff for the Hawaii Government Employees Association.
There was only one registered committee, United Public Workers, that reported expenditures on the constitutional convention referendum. It reported a $9,000 expenditure to Fuel Communications for education. Its total reported expenditures for the period were $96,512.36. The Hawaii State Teachers Association, traditionally Hawaii’s leading convention opponent, is a long-time client of Fuel Communications.
For a news report on the first report that covers the constitutional convention referendum, see Eagle, Nathan, Chamber Of Commerce Pours $600K Into Fighting School-Funding Measure, Civil Beat, October 1, 2018.
Second Report Due October 29, 2018 (for the period ending October 22)
- Cocke, Sophie, Unions spend heavily against ConCon, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, October 31, 2018.
- Eagle, Nathan, Hawaii Ballot Issues Draw $2.7 Million In Campaign Spending, Civil Beat, November 1, 2018.
A critique of the Campaign Spending Commission data as well as the press coverage of it can be found at:
- Snider, J.H., Who Spent What, When, and Where on the Con-Con Referendum, Hawai`i Free Press, November 3, 2018.
The contributors, dates of contribution, and amount of contributions are copied below from the filing. A summary of the expenditures can be found under the Ad submenu under the Yes & No menu on this website. Total contributions were $665,000. The largest contributor ($400,000) was the National Education Association and its two local affiliates, the Hawaii State Teachers Association and University of Hawaii Professional Assembly. The second largest contributor ($240,000) was the Hawaii Government Employees Association. The only other reported contributor was the Hawaii Fire Fighters Association ($25,000).
| Hawaii Government Employees Association |
|
09/28/2018
|
$70,000.00
|
| 888 Mililani Street, Suite 601 |
|
|
$70,000.00
|
| Honolulu HI 96813-2991 | |||
| Hawaii Government Employees Association |
|
10/04/2018
|
$170,000.00
|
| 888 Mililani Street, Suite 601 |
|
|
$240,000.00
|
| Honolulu HI 96813-2991 | |||
| HSTA For Schools Our Keiki Deserve |
|
10/05/2018
|
$50,000.00
|
| 1200 ALA KAPUNA ST |
|
|
$50,000.00
|
| HONOLULU HI 96819 | |||
| Hawaii Fire Fighters Association |
|
10/09/2018
|
$25,000.00
|
| 1018 PALM DRIVE |
|
|
$25,000.00
|
| HONOLULU HI 96814 | |||
| University of Hawaii Professional Assembly |
|
10/10/2018
|
$30,000.00
|
| 1017 PALM DRIVE |
|
|
$30,000.00
|
| HONOLULU HI 96814 | |||
| University of Hawaii Professional Assembly |
|
10/15/2018
|
$70,000.00
|
| 1017 Palm Drive |
|
|
$100,000.00
|
| Honolulu HI 96814 | |||
| National Education Association |
|
10/17/2018
|
$250,000.00
|
| 1201 16th Street, NW |
|
|
$250,000.00
|
| Washington DC 20036-3290 | |||
| Total |
$665,000.00 |
||
Third Report Due November 5, 2018 (for the period ending November 2)
Cocke, Sophie, ConCon opponents raise $740,000, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, November 6, 2018.
Total additional reported contributions for Preserve Our Hawaii: $75,000.
Total additional reported expenditures for Preserve Our Hawaii: $0.
No other reported contributions or expenditures concerning the constitutional convention ballot item.
| Hawaii Government Employees Association |
|
11/01/2018
|
$50,000.00
|
| 888 Mililani Street, Suite 601 |
|
|
$50,000.00
|
| Honolulu HI 96813-2991 | |||
| United Public Workers |
|
11/01/2018
|
$25,000.00
|
| 1426 North School Street |
|
|
$25,000.00
|
| Honolulu HI 96817 | |||
Data Source
See State of Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission:
- Schedule of Reporting Dates for Noncandidate Committees
- Non-Candidate Committee Information
- Candidate Committee Information. Click here to look up candidates.
- Hawaii Government Employees Association (HGEA)
- Preserve Our Hawaii
Other Issues
Ineffective Campaign Finance Enforcement Law
“When the super PACs run afoul of campaign spending laws, the fines are usually small and never enough to discourage unions, special interest groups and individuals from making use of the opportunities to gain influence by spending unlimited amounts of money on elections.”
— Fawcett, Denby, Has Carpenters Union Lost Some Of Its Political Muscle?,
Civil Beat, August 14, 2018
Cocke, Sophie, More than 80 candidates fined for campaign finance violations, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, September 13, 2018.
Fawcett, Denby, Has Carpenters Union Lost Some Of Its Political Muscle?, Civil Beat, August 14, 2018
Marcel, Honore, State Fines Pro-Hanabusa Super PAC $3,000, Civil Beat, August 3, 2018. Summary: $150,000+ in illegal campaign ad spending results in $3,000 fine one day before the final balloting date after 63% of Hawaii voters had already voted. Early voting ran from July 30 to August 9, ending two days before the August 11 election.
Marcel, Honore, Do New Pro-Hanabusa Ads Violate State Campaign Rules?, Civil Beat, August 3, 2018.
Other Civil Beat reporting on campaign finance can be found here.
Ineffective Campaign Finance Disclosure Law
Voters Need To Know Sooner Who’s Paying To Influence Them, Civil Beat, October 4, 2018.
State of Hawaii Office of Elections
August 11, 2018 Primary Election Results