FACTSHEET                                                                                                                                

                                                       BOARD OF EDUCATION

 

PURPOSE (State Constitution, Article X, Section 3)

 

The board of education shall have the power, as provided by law, to formulate statewide educational policy and appoint the superintendent of education as the chief executive officer of the public school system.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION (State Constitution, Article X, Section 2; and HRS §13‑1, §13-1.1)

 

The State of Hawaii Board of Education consists of one (1) non‑voting high school student member appointed by the Hawaii State Student Council and thirteen (13) members elected by the registered voters of two (2) at‑large school board districts.  The school board districts are:

 

                   School Board District I                                                School Board District II

                          Island of Oahu                                                    Islands of Hawaii, Maui, Lanai,

         (consisting of Representative Districts                             Molokai, Kahoolawe, Kauai, and Niihau

                          17 through 51)                                              (consisting of Representative Districts

                                                                                                               1 through 16)

 

Ten (10) members are elected at‑large from the First School Board District:

 

-    one (1) resident                       3rd Departmental School District (Honolulu)

Representative Districts 17 to 29 and  part of 30 and 32

 

-    one (1) resident                       4th Departmental School District (Central Oahu)

Representative Districts 31, 33, 38, 39 and

part of Districts 30, 32, 34, 36, 40, 41, 46 and 47

 

-    one (1) resident                       5th Departmental School District (Leeward Oahu)

Representative Districts 35, 42, 43, 44, 45 and

Part of Districts 34, 36, 37, 40, 41 and 46

 

-    one (1) resident                       6th Departmental School District (Windward Oahu)

Representative Districts 48 to 51 and part of 46 and 47

 

-    six (6) at‑large                         No Departmental School District Residency (Island of Oahu)

 


 

Three (3) members are elected at‑large from the Second School Board District:

 

-    one (1) resident                       1st Departmental School District (County of Hawaii)

Representative Districts 1 to 7

 

-    one (1) resident                       2nd Departmental School District (County of Maui)

Representative Districts 8 to 13

 

-    one (1) resident                       7th Departmental School District (County of Kauai)

Representative Districts 14 to 16

 

 


 

QUALIFICATIONS OF MEMBERS (HRS §13‑2)

-   Currently registered voter of School Board District

-   Residency in Departmental School District for seats requiring residency

-   Meet provisions (resign to run) of Article II, Section 7 of the Hawaii State Constitution

-   Does not hold any other public office in state or county government

 

ELECTION OF MEMBERS (HRS §13‑3)

Members of the Board of Education are nominated in a nonpartisan Primary Election and elected in a nonpartisan General Election.  Nomination papers must be obtained from and submitted to the Chief Election Officer in a prescribed manner.  Contests are conducted in an at‑large format, affording every registered voter of a school board district the opportunity to vote for each and every candidate seeking election from such school board district.

 

 

TERM OF OFFICE (HRS §13‑4)

The term of office of members of the Board of Education is four (4) years, beginning on the day of the General Election of the year in which they are elected and ending on the day of the second General Election after their election.  Members may be re‑elected without restriction as to the number of terms.

 


CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION

 

MEMBER                                          SEAT                                                           NEXT ELECTION

 

School Board District I

Denise Matsumoto............................. 3rd Dept. Dist. (Honolulu)...................................... 2008

Eileen Ishihara Clarke......................... 4th Dept. Dist. (Central Oahu)............................... 2010

Breene  Harimoto............................... 5th Dept. Dist. (Leeward Oahu)............................. 2008

John R. Penebacker........................... 6th Dept. Dist. (Windward Oahu)........................... 2010

Cecil Heftel........................................ No Dept. Residency Required............................... 2008

Lei Ahu Isa........................................ No Dept. Residency Required............................... 2008

Garrett M. Toguchi............................. No Dept. Residency Required............................... 2008

Donna R. Ikeda.................................. No Dept. Residency Required............................... 2010

Kim Coco Iwamoto............................. No Dept. Residency Required............................... 2010

Karen Knudsen.................................. No Dept. Residency Required............................... 2010

 

School Board District II

Herbert S. Watanabe.......................... 1st Dept. Dist. (County of Hawaii).......................... 2008

Mary J. Cochran................................ 2nd Dept. Dist. (County of Maui)............................ 2010

Maggie Cox....................................... 7th Dept. Dist. (County of Kauai)........................... 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Fact Sheet is intended for informational purposes only and should not be used as an authority on the Hawaii election law and candidate deadlines.  Requirements and/or deadlines may change pending changes in legislation. Consult the Hawaii Revised Statutes and other sources for more detailed and accurate requirements.

 

Office of Elections - FSBO135J

07/16/07