Three candidates are trying to unseat our incumbent Democratic Governor on November’s general election ballot. Gov. David Ige declined our invitation to participate in a live candidate forum on INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAIʻI; his three opponents accepted.

This week’s INSIGHTS features candidates in the five-way race for U.S. House District 1, covering urban Honolulu to Kapolei and Mililani. Former Congressman Ed Case beat six competitors to win the Democratic nomination, while former state lawmaker Cam Cavasso beat his lone competitor to win the Republican nomination.

The next INSIGHTS presents two discussions:   –From 8:00 pm to 8:30 pm, we’ll talk about a Constitutional Convention and how it works. Hawai‘i’s last one was 40 years ago. This November, voters will decide whether to hold another one.

The last INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI‘I before primary election day on August 11 focuses on two Neighbor Island races.   First, at 8:00 pm, meet Hawai‘i Island County Council member Dru Kanuha and former councilmember Brenda Ford, candidates in the Democratic Primary for State Senate District 3 (Kailua-Kona to Na‘alehu).

One of the most hotly contested races this election season is the Democratic Primary for U.S. House District 1, representing urban Honolulu to Mililani and ‘Ewa Beach.

INSIGHTS will host candidates from three races on a special two-hour edition:   –From 8 to 8:30 pm it’s the forum for the Democratic Primary for Senate District 6, where State Senator Roz Baker is being challenged by Terez Amato for the seat that represents West and South Maui.

In a special two-hour edition, INSIGHTS will assemble leading candidates in two major Mayoral races.   –At 8:00 pm, it’s the forum for Maui County Mayor. Voters on Maui, Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i will elect a new Mayor for the first time in eight years.

In a special 90-minute election doubleheader, INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI‘I features two hotly contested primary election contests:   –State Senate District 23 covers the area from Ka‘a‘a‘wa on the Windward side of O‘ahu to Mokulē‘ia on the North Shore.

Hawai‘i has the distinction of having the lowest voter turnout in the country. Will that track record continue? INSIGHTS ON PBS HAWAI‘I previews what’s to come. In November, the people of Hawai‘i will elect a Governor, members of Congress, new Mayors for the counties of Maui and Kaua‘i, County Council members and State Legislators.

The 2016 Presidential Election will be remembered for many things. The ongoing rancor that drove the energy of this election may be a force that’s here to stay.   What about us? Has the meanness movement reach our shores? Locally, issues like rail, homelessness and GMOs have created disagreement and division among Hawai‘i people.