Hirono is heavily favored to win Hawaii’s Democratic primary as she seeks reelection to US Senate

HONOLULU (AP) — U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono and the state’s incumbent congressional representatives are favored to win Saturday’s Democratic Party’s primaries in Hawaii.

Hawaii is a vote-by-mail state. Ballots have been mailed to registered voters who must return them through the mail or to drop-off boxes located around the islands. Voters also may cast ballots in person at a handful of voter service centers in each county.

Ballots must be received by county elections offices by 7 p.m. on Election Day to be counted.

Here’s a look at key Hawaii races:

U.S. Senate

Hirono is seeking her third term in the U.S. Senate after having first been been elected to the office in 2012 to succeed Daniel Akaka.

In the Democratic primary, she faces Ron Curtis, whom she defeated 69% to 28% in the general election six years ago when he was the Republican nominee for the same seat. Also running is Clyde McClain Lewman, who placed seventh in the Democratic primary for governor in 2022 with 249 votes.

Hirono became a state legislator in 1980, Hawaii’s lieutenant governor in 1994 and a member of the U.S. House in 2007.

She underwent surgery for kidney cancer in 2017, a year before she was last elected to a second six-year term in the Senate.

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