Hawaii's seventeenth state senate district is represented by Democratic Senator Clarence Nishihara.

Hawaii state senators represent an average of 54,412 residents. After the 2000 Census, each member represented 48,461 residents.

About the chamber

Members of the Hawaii State Senate serve four-year terms and are not subject to term limits. Hawaii legislators assume office the first day of Legislative session following the election (usually the third Wednesday of January).

Qualifications

From Article III, Section 7 of the Hawaii Constitution: "No person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the senate unless the person has been a resident of the State for not less than three years, has attained the age of majority and is, prior to filing nomination papers and thereafter continues to be, a qualified voter of the senatorial district from which the person seeks to be elected; except that in the year of the first general election following reapportionment, but prior to the primary election, an incumbent senator may move to a new district without being disqualified from completing the remainder of the incumbent senator's term."

Salaries

Vacancies

If there is a vacancy in the senate, the Governor is responsible for appointing a replacement. For all vacancies, the Governor must appoint a replacement within 60 days after the vacancy happened. The candidate is selected from a list of three prospective candidates submitted by the political party that last held the vacant seat. The party has thirty days after the vacancy to submit a list of prospective candidates. If the person leaving the seat is a independent, the Governor must select a resident from the vacant district that is not a member of any political party.

Elections

2020

Elections for the office of Hawaii State Senate will take place in 2020. The general election will be held on November 3, 2020. A primary is scheduled for August 8, 2020. The filing deadline is June 2, 2020.

2018

2014

Elections for the Hawaii State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 9, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 3, 2014. Incumbent Clarence Nishihara was unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated Roger Clemente (I) in the general election.

Hawaii State Senate, District 17, General Election, 2014

2012

Elections for the office of Hawaii State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 11, 2012, and a general election on November 6, 2012. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 5, 2012. Incumbent Clarence Nishihara (D) was unopposed in the general election and defeated Alex Sonson in the Democratic primary.

Hawaii State Senate, District 17 Democratic Primary, 2012

Campaign contributions

From 2002 to 2014, candidates for Hawaii State Senate District 17 raised a total of $479,743. Candidates who raised money in contributions earned $36,903 on average. All figures come from Follow the Money.

Campaign contributions, Hawaii State Senate District 17