'More Issues Coverage Would Promote Voting'
Jul 28
In a letter published July 28, 2006, in The Honolulu Advertiser, I wrote to challenge the coverage of campaigns in my hometown.
MORE ISSUES COVERAGE WOULD PROMOTE VOTING
As a kama’aina expat trying to keep up with Hawai’i politics, I found the July 26 article “Deadline over: It’s time to campaign” contradictory. The piece, in style and by choice of quotes, laments the uncontested races in the state Senate, House and City Council.
At the same time, the writers seem to dismiss the other gubernatorial candidates in favor of the incumbent, who has “lots of money from campaign contributions, and lots of name recognition,” re-applying Jean Aoki’s quote.
Running for office is a high-stakes investment of family, time, finances and reputation. No matter how formidable the opponent, challengers such as Randy Iwase should be commended for offering voters a choice and raising questions about an incumbent’s record in office.
The media bears some responsibility for whether a race is a “snoozer” or not. With coverage more focused on the issues and candidates’ positions, and less on guessing the spread, more people might feel that their ballots are worth casting.
Keith Kamisugi
San Francisco
