The Big Island Press Club will present a luncheon panel “Revisiting Hawaii’s Primary Election” at noon Friday at Restaurant Kenichi.
The Big Island Press Club will present a luncheon panel “Revisiting Hawaii’s Primary Election” at noon Friday at Restaurant Kenichi.
Discussion will consider “Could Puna voters have changed the outcome and should media have called victory in the U.S. Senate Democratic contest for Brian Schatz on Aug. 9?”
Big Island Press Club president Nancy Cook Lauer will lead the discussion with panelists Kathleen Frankovic, Chad Blair and Todd Belt.
Frankovic is a former CBS News reporter and world expert in public opinion polling. She has been an election and polling consultant for CBS News and other research organizations. Frankovic has been president of the World Association for Public Opinion Research and the American Association for Public Opinion Research.
Joining the talk will be Chad Blair, a writer, editor and teacher in Honolulu for more than 20 years. Currently a reporter for Honolulu Civil Beat, he has worked for Pacific Business News, Hawaii Public Radio and Honolulu Weekly, and taught at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu Community College, Hawaii Pacific University and Chaminade University of Honolulu.
Todd Belt, is professor and chairman of the Department of Political Science at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. His research and writing focuses primarily on the influence of the mass media, public opinion, the presidency and campaigns and elections. He is co-author of the books “The Presidency and Domestic Policy” (second edition), “We Interrupt this Newscast” and “Getting Involved: A Guide to Student Citizenship.”
Discussion moderator Cook Lauer was a state capital newspaper bureau chief in Tallahassee, Florida, during the Bush v. Gore election of 2000. A journalist for almost 25 years, she’s currently a reporter for West Hawaii Today and publishes a state government news aggregate blog, “All Hawaii News.” She’s president of the Big Island Press Club and vice president of the Hawaii chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.
The $19.50 luncheon is set at Restaurant Kenichi, 684 Kilauea Ave. in Hilo. Park across street in the county building lot. Reservations only. Pay at Eventbrite at www.eventbrite.com.
For more information, contact Robert Duerr at 937-9104.