Civil Beat Staff

Chad Blair

Chad Blair has been a writer, editor and teacher in Honolulu for more than 35 years. His job as reporter and editor is to cover Hawaiʻi, especially how political decisions impact people and communities.

Chad has worked as a journalist for Pacific Business News, Hawaiʻi Public Radio and Honolulu Weekly. He has taught at the University of Hawaiʻi Mānoa, Honolulu Community College, Hawaiʻi Pacific University and Chaminade University of Honolulu.

A “military brat,” Chad was born on an Army base in Alabama and later lived with his family in Germany, Illinois, Nebraska and Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. He earned a bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, where he edited the school newspaper. He also minored in Spanish and studied for a semester in Mexico.

Chad worked for a year on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, where he tracked satellites for the U.S. Air Force/NORAD. He then earned a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in American studies from UH Mānoa. His dissertation, “Democracy in Hawaiʻi: Class, Race and Gender in Local Politics” (1996), was published as “Money, Color and Sex in Hawaiʻi Politics” (Mutual Publishing; 1998).

You can reach him by email at cblair@civilbeat.org or follow him on Twitter at @chadblairCB.

Anything But Easter Eggs: How Hawaiʻi Could Settle Tied Elections Hawaii News Now

Anything But Easter Eggs: How Hawaiʻi Could Settle Tied Elections

Flip a coin, pick a card, draw straws — do anything except use plastic eggs and a lauhala basket, the state’s high court suggests.

Disputed Tiebreaker Spurs New Rematch Request Of Supreme Court Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Disputed Tiebreaker Spurs New Rematch Request Of Supreme Court

The election do-over bid comes after incumbent Kurt Fevella lost a tiebreaker to Bob McDermott in the Republican primary.

This Campaign Finance Whiz Helps Hawaiʻi Politicians Keep Their Books In Order Blaze Lovell/Civil Beat/2024

This Campaign Finance Whiz Helps Hawaiʻi Politicians Keep Their Books In Order

After 33 years with the state Campaign Spending Commission, Tony Baldomero is now working for candidates so they file “true and accurate” expense reports.

High Court Orders New Election For Hawaiʻi House Race Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

High Court Orders New Election For Hawaiʻi House Race

Voters of District 43 on Oʻahu will get another chance to choose between Kanani Souza and Sheila Medeiros. One Supreme Court associate justice said the primary was not “pau.”

City Clerk: ʻAʻole E Helu ʻIa Nā Pāloka No Tommy Waters Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

City Clerk: ʻAʻole E Helu ʻIa Nā Pāloka No Tommy Waters

Hōʻea mai kēia hoʻoholo ʻana ma hope o ka holo ʻana o ka manaʻo o ka ʻAha Hoʻokolokolo Kaʻapuni e ʻōlelo ana nō hoʻi, ʻaʻole e hiki i ka luna hoʻomalu ʻaha ke ʻimi he wā noho ʻekolu. E hōʻea mai paha he ʻāʻumeʻume kānāwai hou aku.

Rematch May Be Coming For House Seat Decided By Tiebreaker Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Rematch May Be Coming For House Seat Decided By Tiebreaker

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court will decide Friday whether a special election is needed for the tight race between two Oʻahu Republicans.

How A Young Challenger Defeated Hawaiʻi’s Longest-Serving Lawmaker Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

How A Young Challenger Defeated Hawaiʻi’s Longest-Serving Lawmaker

Jackson Sayama worked hard for Les Ihara’s Senate seat. He focused on getting things done, Ihara on lofty ideas of better government.

Hawaiʻi Democrats Flock To Traditional Post-Primary Get-Together Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Hawaiʻi Democrats Flock To Traditional Post-Primary Get-Together

The morning after the primary Democrats say they are focused on taking down Trump and the GOP in November.

Hawaiʻi Legislature: Most Incumbents Won Easily

Hawaiʻi Legislature: Most Incumbents Won Easily

But some races appear too close to call. There will also be a number of new faces in the Legislature.