2018 Primary Election Candidates

Click to select a candidate

Name on ballot:

CARAVALHO, Ernest

Running for:

Governor

District (if applicable):

N/A

Political party:

Democrat

Campaign website:

www.ernestforhawaii.com

Current occupation:

Aloha Care Insurance

Age:

Previous job history:

Air Force Veteran

Previous elected office, if any:

N/A

What qualifies you to represent the people of Hawaii?

Quite frankly, anyone that meets the requirements of the Hawaii Constitution, Article V, Section 1, is qualified to run for office.
So this question, although common, is very misleading. Currently the popular belief is that you need to be a lawyer first, or have tons of money, or even have held a previous office in a certain way or in a certain order. But this line of thinking goes against the very idea of inclusivity which was designed so that our government would be made up by the people and of the people and not just of the rich, wealthy, the corrupt and the greedy. Right now, Hawai'i and the rest of the world are living in the product and consequence of all those previously elected. The majority of thought is usually that they had to have certain arbitrarily made up qualifications/credentials that have nothing to do with what our constitution delineated or intended. Regardless, here are the things that make me able to represent the people of Hawaii:
1- I am not corrupt. Might sound silly but most politicians that have the big bucks to run for governor aren't clean. They are buddy buddy with the people they are meant to regulate and accept money for favors and favorable legislation.
2- I am not here trying to make a career out of politics. I am here to do a job in order to represent the people in a way the uplifts and empowers them while making amends with the Kanaka Maoli. Remember, career politicians run for office to win because their livelihood depends on it, not to represent the people.
3- All it takes is a person with some common sense and the integrity to do whats right for Hawai'i. And that's me. When you are deeply rooted in the political game, system, and process for years and years, your capacity to problem solve is compromised by the "game" and "how things are done" and that line of thinking is responsible for getting Hawaii and the world into the dire straights we are in right now.
I ride the bus, work a regular job, contribute to my community, have my ear to the ground and am part of one of the biggest families in Hawaii.

What are the top three challenges facing the voters you seek to represent?

Lack of automatic voter registration is one. Lack of publicly funded elections is another. Lack of ranked choice voting would my final one. If we could get these three things done then voting would be way easier, more empowering, and less grueling for the people.

If elected, what will be your highest legislative priority?

If elected, education will be my highest priority. Because if we invest in education as well as to take the time to educate the people and the legislature without bias, we will see that things like universal healthcare need to happen. People will see that Hawaii is in a dangerously vulnerable state in areas like agriculture, energy, infrastructure and governance due to the foot hold that corporations, the rich and powerful have in our government and across the islands. So you see the truth is out there and unless we invest in education in a really major way, the solutions to all other problems will be more difficult to attain.

If elected, what can you do to improve the lives of your constituents?

The best thing that I can do to improve the lives of all the people of Hawaii is to tackle our problems with solutions that permanently put an end to problems we have allowed to linger for years and years. Solutions that will limit or end outside persons and entities from owning land in Hawaii. Solutions that will regulate housing rentals and rental properties in a way that creates more housing. Solutions that will adjust how property is valued in order to curtail artificial inflation of prices. Solutions that will establish a living wage across the state. Solutions that will help to end the petty bickering, corruption, and lack of unity across the state legislature. And the way you know you can count on me making these things happen is because I am an average worker and resident of Hawai'i and I like you want to be able to live a happy uplifting and normal life in peace and happiness. I don't need to be rich or powerful or wealthy. I want my life improved just as much as you do yours and I am tired of seeing the state of Hawai'i go on this downward spiral.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?

Everyone thinks that they are the right candidate for the job and I know we all see things differently. What you really need to know about me is that unlike all the others I have a complete vision for Hawaii. I aim to make Hawaii the Jewel of the Pacific. That vision acknowledges two things from scientists: 1- Climate change is real and 2- that by 2048, if we don't change, commercial fisheries could likely collapse and cease to support us. With that, my policies and motivations to transform Hawaii have a transparent aim. And I aim to make Hawai'i a truly resilient state that can feed its own people, provide for its own energy, lead the way in education, conservation, Pacific Ocean clean up, restoration of our lands, and research. The things is I don't aim to do this by 2050 or 2075. I am to invest and motivate so that we can transform Hawai'i like our lives and futures depend on it.
Most importantly, I will do everything within my power to restore the ceded lands, make amends to the Kanaka Maoli and to have a Native Hawaiian council as one of my departments.