LIHUE -- The Kauai Democratic Party held its 2026 Biennial Convention on Saturday, bringing together party members, district council members and county delegates for a hybrid event that elected a new slate of county party officers and celebrated a landmark legislative session for the island, according to a press release.
Margie Merryman was elected as the new Kauai County Democratic Party chair. She is succeeding Joell Edwards, who facilitated the convention and stepped down after her 2-year term as chair.
The nominating committee presented a full, unopposed slate: Merryman as chair, Hermina Morita as vice chair, Bevin Parker-Evans as secretary, Joell Edwards as treasurer, Lori Kizer as information technician, Desiree Pia as youth representative (non-male), and Gary Venett as State Central Committee representative. All candidates were elected by the assembled delegates.
"Over the past two years, I have been grateful for every person who has continued fighting for democracy on Kauai," said Edwards. "This party is in excellent hands with Margie and our new officers leading the way. I look forward to continuing to serve as treasurer."
Messages from Democratic leaders
The convention featured video messages from U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz and Hawaii State Democratic Party Chair Derek Turbin, both of whom praised Edwards for her dedicated leadership and encouraged delegates to register for the upcoming State Democratic Convention, scheduled for May 29-30 in Honolulu. The convention will feature Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as a special guest.
The convention was also honored by the in-person attendance of State Rep. Dee Morikawa (District 17), State Rep. Luke Evslin (District 16), and Senate President Ron Kouchi—all of whom represent Kauai in the state Legislature and had concluded the 2026 legislative session just the night before.
Speaker of the House Nadine Nakamura, who represents District 15, was unable to attend in person as she remained at the Capitol for final session business but sent a message to delegates.
"It is an honor to serve as your state representative for District 15," said Nakamura. "With one week left in session, we are passing bills to address the high cost of living, including over $250 million for affordable housing, funding for new pre-K classrooms, and improvements to Kauai Veterans Memorial Hospital and Samuel Mahelona Memorial Hospital. We are also using green fees to build a mobility hub in Wailua, improve rain gauges, replace cesspools in Kokee, and much more for our island."
A strong session for Kauai and Hawaii
The Kauai delegation shared highlights from what they described as a productive legislative session, highlighting meaningful wins for the state and island communities. Key achievements included new funding for affordable housing, support for local food production, and investments in critical infrastructure improvements for Kauai.
Legislators also noted efforts to protect vulnerable communities through targeted budget priorities, even amid economic challenges and the ongoing impacts of natural disasters.
"We are proud of what we accomplished this session for the people of Kauai," said Kouchi. "From affordable housing to infrastructure, these investments reflect our Democratic values and our commitment to every family on this island."
Looking ahead
New Chair Merryman outlined priorities for the 2026-28 term, including growing Democratic Party membership across Kauai, increasing convention attendance, and building broader community coalitions. The party also committed to improving the process for submitting county-level resolutions ahead of future state conventions.
"I'm honored to serve and excited to build a more engaged and active Democratic Party on Kaua'i. I look forward to strengthening community connections and building meaningful coalitions, while ensuring we show up for the people of this island in real and visible ways," said Merryman.
Delegates are encouraged to register for the State Democratic Party Convention by the early registration deadline of May 11, by visiting hawaiidemocrats.org.
The Kauai County Democratic Party is the official county organization of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, dedicated to electing Democratic candidates, advancing progressive values, and empowering the people of Kauai and Niihau.