Jen Ruggles Announces County Council District 5 Run

Jen Ruggles campaign photo.

Jen Ruggles has announced that she has filed papers to run for the Hawai’i County Council District 5 seat.

Ruggles, a Mountain View resident, filed the papers Monday afternoon.

In a media release issued by Ruggle’s supporters, Ruggles says she is “honored to have the opportunity to be of service to the district where I was born and raised. Our district is under served and underrepresented. I know our struggle, and I know our potential.”

Ruggles is currently pursuing her second degree at the University of Hawai’i at Hilo’s College of Business and Economics, and is also a 2006 graduate of Kea’au High School.

She has served as the main organizer of Hilo’s Global HOPE organization for a five-year period, where the release notes that she organized over 50 free events for the public.

Ruggles also assisted in enacting Hawai’i’s first clean elections program.

What leads the seat hopeful in life is “making a positive impact,” according to Ruggles.

Recently, Ruggles conducted work on Kaua’i, where she helped “organize the largest march in Kaua’i history” to pass the “Right to Know” bill, Bill 2491, according to the release. The bill enacted protections for schools against pesticide spray that was sending children and teachers to the hospital.

During Senator Russell Ruderman’s run for senate in 2012, Ruggles acted as his event coordinator.

Danny Paleka holds the current District 5 seat. He has filed to run for re-election.

The District 5 seat covers Glenwood, Kea’au, Pahoa, Opihikao, and Kalapana.