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Joy A. San Buenaventura
2020 - Present
2026
4
Joy San Buenaventura (Democratic Party) is a member of the Hawaii State Senate, representing District 2. She assumed office on November 3, 2020. Her current term ends on November 3, 2026.
Buenaventura (Democratic Party) ran for re-election to the Hawaii State Senate to represent District 2. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Buenaventura served in the Hawaii House of Representatives from 2014 to 2020.
Biography
Joy A. San Buenaventura lives in Hawaiian Paradise Park, Hawaii. Buenaventura graduated from McKinley High School. She earned a B.S. in mathematics from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas and a J.D. from the University of California. Buenaventura's career experience includes working with the Environmental Protection Agency and as a law clerk with Reynolds Electrical Engineering.[1][2]
Committee assignments
Note: This membership information was last updated in September 2023. Ballotpedia completes biannual updates of committee membership. If you would like to send us an update, email us at: editor@ballotpedia.org.
2023-2024
Buenaventura was assigned to the following committees:
2021-2022
Buenaventura was assigned to the following committees:
2019-2020
Buenaventura was assigned to the following committees:
- Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs Committee, Vice Chair
- Human Services & Homelessness Committee, Chair
- Health Committee
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Hawaii committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Housing |
| • Judiciary, Vice chair |
| • Transportation |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, San Buenaventura served on the following committees:
| Hawaii committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Consumer Protection & Commerce |
| • Judiciary, Vice chair |
| • Labor & Public Employment |
| • Public Safety |
| • Transportation |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2022
See also: Hawaii State Senate elections, 2022
General election
General election for Hawaii State Senate District 2
Incumbent Joy San Buenaventura defeated Holly Osborn and Fred Fogel in the general election for Hawaii State Senate District 2 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Joy San Buenaventura (D) | 69.7 | 9,486 |
| Holly Osborn (R) | 25.9 | 3,522 | ||
| Fred Fogel (L) | 4.4 | 594 | ||
| Total votes: 13,602 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Hawaii State Senate District 2
Incumbent Joy San Buenaventura advanced from the Democratic primary for Hawaii State Senate District 2 on August 13, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joy San Buenaventura | 100.0 | 6,727 |
| Total votes: 6,727 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Hawaii State Senate District 2
Holly Osborn defeated Dianne Hensley in the Republican primary for Hawaii State Senate District 2 on August 13, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Holly Osborn | 62.6 | 1,310 | |
| Dianne Hensley | 37.4 | 783 | ||
| Total votes: 2,093 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Libertarian primary election
Libertarian primary for Hawaii State Senate District 2
Fred Fogel advanced from the Libertarian primary for Hawaii State Senate District 2 on August 13, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Fred Fogel | 100.0 | 49 | |
| Total votes: 49 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2020
See also: Hawaii State Senate elections, 2020
General election
General election for Hawaii State Senate District 2
Joy San Buenaventura defeated Ron Ka-Ipo in the general election for Hawaii State Senate District 2 on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joy San Buenaventura (D) | 75.2 | 14,225 |
| Ron Ka-Ipo (Aloha Aina Party) | 24.8 | 4,694 | ||
| Total votes: 18,919 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Hawaii State Senate District 2
Joy San Buenaventura defeated Smiley Burrows in the Democratic primary for Hawaii State Senate District 2 on August 8, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joy San Buenaventura | 78.3 | 8,072 |
| Smiley Burrows | 21.7 | 2,235 | ||
| Total votes: 10,307 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Aloha Aina Party primary election
Aloha Aina Party primary for Hawaii State Senate District 2
Ron Ka-Ipo advanced from the Aloha Aina Party primary for Hawaii State Senate District 2 on August 8, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Ron Ka-Ipo | 100.0 | 259 | |
| Total votes: 259 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2018
See also: Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2018
General election
The general election was canceled. Incumbent Joy San Buenaventura won election in the general election for Hawaii House of Representatives District 4.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 4
Incumbent Joy San Buenaventura advanced from the Democratic primary for Hawaii House of Representatives District 4 on August 11, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Joy San Buenaventura | 100.0 | 3,919 |
| Total votes: 3,919 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2016
Elections for the Hawaii House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 13, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 7, 2016.
Incumbent Joy A. San Buenaventura defeated Luana Jones and Moke Stephens in the Hawaii House of Representatives District 4 general election.[3]
| Hawaii House of Representatives, District 4 General Election, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Democratic |  Joy A. San Buenaventura Incumbent |
75.52% | 5,846 | |
| Nonpartisan | Luana Jones | 16.11% | 1,247 | |
| Constitution | Moke Stephens | 8.37% | 648 | |
| Total Votes | 7,741 | |||
| Source: State of Hawaii - Office of Elections | ||||
Incumbent Joy A. San Buenaventura ran unopposed in the Hawaii House of Representatives District 4 Democratic primary.[4][5]
| Hawaii House of Representatives, District 4 Democratic Primary, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Democratic | Joy A. San Buenaventura Incumbent (unopposed) | |
2014
Elections for the Hawaii House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 9, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 3, 2014. Joy A. San Buenaventura defeated incumbent Faye Pua Hanohano, Leilani Bronson-Crelly, Brian F. Jordan and Julia K. Peleiholani in the Democratic primary, while Gary Thomas was unopposed in the Republican primary. San Buenaventura defeated Thomas in the general election.[6][7][8]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Joy A. San Buenaventura |
71.6% | 4,337 | |
| Republican | Gary Thomas | 28.4% | 1,719 | |
| Total Votes | 6,056 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Joy A. San Buenaventura |
43.4% | 1,628 |
| Faye Pua Hanohano Incumbent | 20.4% | 766 |
| Brian F. Jordan | 14.6% | 549 |
| Leilani Bronson-Crelly | 13.4% | 503 |
| Julia K. Peleiholani | 8.1% | 304 |
| Total Votes | 3,750 | |
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Joy San Buenaventura did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.
2020
Joy San Buenaventura did not complete Ballotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.
2014
San Buenaventura's campaign website highlighted the following campaign themes:[9]
Transportation & Equal Access
- Excerpt: "An alternate makai route that will bypass Kea'au is needed. And monies from the state fuel tax need to be allocated so that arterial roads are created and everyone has equal access in case of emergencies."
Equal Access to Basic Medical Care
- Excerpt: "I support the development of a medical facility in Pahoa based on the Waianae Health Center concept as well as the construction of a new community library, with the current Pahoa library being turned over the Pahoa schools."
Equal Access to Basic Education
- Excerpt: "Our legislators need to band together to ensure that rural schools' basic needs are met before allocating funds based on the number of students at a school. And charter schools remain severely under-funded."
Equal Access to the World's Information Superhighway
- Excerpt: "High-speed internet access is a basic need in the 21st Century. Parts of lower Puna have no cell-phone coverage, much less any internet service. These issues need to be addressed on a state as well as county level."
Equal Access to Sanitary Public Beaches
- Excerpt: "I advocate public/private partnerships and government incentives to pursue these basic needs for Puna residents. Puna's public should have equal access to education and emergency services, including electronic accessibility. I will do everything in my power as the District 4 representative in the State House to make such access a reality."
Agriculture & GMOs
- Excerpt: "It is my position that regulation of GMO crops on a federal level is required to ensure proper monitoring and uniformity. Farmers need to be equally regulated."
Community Mediation
- Excerpt: "Mediation on a community level should be freely available. A fully functioning ombudsman office should be created for the district so that monies remain in the neighborhood instead of being used to hire lawyers. I believe in mediation before disputes escalate into crimes and advocate the creation of neighborhood boards or mediation grants."
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Hawaii scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2024
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2024, click [show]. |
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In 2024, the Hawaii State Legislature was in session from January 17 to May 3. |
2023
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2023, click [show]. |
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In 2023, the Hawaii State Legislature was in session from January 18 to May 4. |
2022
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2022, click [show]. |
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In 2022, the Hawaii State Legislature was in session from January 19 to May 5. |
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Hawaii State Legislature was in session from January 20 to April 29.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Hawaii State Legislature was in session from January 15 to July 10.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the Hawaii State Legislature was in session from January 16 through May 2.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the Hawaii State Legislature was in session from January 17 through May 3.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Hawaii State Legislature was in session from January 18 through May 4. The Legislature held a special session from July 12 from July 20. The legislature held its first special session from August 28 to September 1. The legislature held its second special session from September 25 to September 26. The legislature held its third special session on November 14.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Hawaii State Legislature was in session from January 20 through May 5. The Legislature held a special session from July 12 from July 20.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Hawaii State Legislature was in session from January 21 through May 7.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the Hawaii State Legislature was in session from January 15 through May 2.
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See also
2022 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Hawaii State Senate District 2 |
Officeholder Hawaii State Senate District 2 |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ Hawaii State Legislature, "Senator Joy A. San Buenaventura," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ Joy San Buenaventura, "Meet Joy," accessed January 5, 2021
- ↑ State of Hawaii, "General Election 2016 - State of Hawaii – Statewide November 8, 2016," accessed November 23, 2016
- ↑ State of Hawaii, "2016 Candidate Report," accessed June 10, 2016
- ↑ Hawaii.gov, "Primary Election results," accessed September 12, 2016
- ↑ Hawaii Secretary of State, "Official primary candidate list," accessed June 6, 2014
- ↑ Hawaii Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed August 25, 2014
- ↑ Hawaii Secretary of State, "Official general election results," accessed November 12, 2014
- ↑ Joy 4 Puna, "Issues," accessed July 17, 2014
- ↑ Paychecks Hawaii, "PAYCHECKS HAWAII Ratings of the 2013 Hawaii State Legislature," accessed July 11, 2017
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Russell Ruderman (D) |
Hawaii State Senate District 2 2020-Present |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by - |
Hawaii House of Representatives District 4 2014-2020 |
Succeeded by Greggor Ilagan (D) |
