HILO — The Hawaii County Council will take a closer look at the operations of the county Elections Division on Wednesday, when it will consider two resolutions directing how the office should operate in the wake of a primary election that saw many polling places open late.
Hoping to avoid repeating those problems in the Nov. 6 General Election, Hilo Councilman Dennis Onishi and North Kona Councilman Angel Pilago are offering nonbinding resolutions urging changes to how the division operates.
County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi acknowledged in an interview Friday that council members have a right to introduce legislation as they see fit. She said she is working with the council and others who care about the elections and will continue doing so as appropriate.
“My concern as an administrator is to run the operations of the legislative branch. My concern is not to engage in politics,” Kawauchi said. “I do very much want to keep politics out of the operations of our branch and especially the Elections Division. I feel that it’s possibly creeping in with these resolutions.”
In all, 13 of Hawaii County’s 40 polling places opened late for the Aug. 11 primary, with four opening 45 to 90 minutes late, five opening within 30 minutes and four opening less than five minutes late, according to the state Office of Elections. The election got off to such a rocky start that Gov. Neil Abercrombie issued a proclamation giving Hawaii County polling places an extra hour and a half to remain open.
Onishi’s resolution, Resolution 306, “strongly urges” Kawauchi to hire an “independent and experienced” elections administrator with five to 15 years of supervisory experience in elections administration within seven days of adoption of the resolution.
Onishi said Friday that he has no one in particular in mind; he’s just seeking someone with experience. He wasn’t mollified by Kawauchi’s announcement earlier this week that she’s named Lehua Iopa to the position. Iopa has worked in the county Elections Division since February 2008, Kawauchi said in a news release.
“With my resolution, I don’t think Lehua would qualify,” Onishi said. “If you could find someone with five to 15 years experience running an election, it would be better. If you could find someone with 25 years experience, it would be better yet.”
Iopa is Kawauchi’s second acting elections administrator following her firing in January of longtime administrator Pat Nakamoto. Nakamoto and three other Elections Division employees were fired after an investigation reportedly found evidence of alcohol use on county property and a private sign-making business being run out of the elections warehouse.
Nakamoto was reinstated following an employee grievance process, but remains out on sick leave. Her replacement, Arlene Boteilho, and three other permanent division employees did not come to work on primary election day, apparently contributing to problems getting polls opened on time. The office has only seven permanent positions, with three additional warehouse staff and 10 temporary Election Day workers filling in.
Pilago’s resolution, resolution 311, asks the council to endorse a news release the Hawaii State League of Women Voters wrote making four recommendations. The league urged the County Council to fully staff the county Elections Division, including an experienced administrator at the helm, and ensure the staff participates in state workshops. The league, based in Honolulu, wants Kawauchi to designate official political and press observers.
And it wants the state Elections Commission to conduct an investigation into primary day problems to ensure they don’t happen in the general election and also to clarify responsibilities between county and state elections staff.
“The Big Island’s difficulties affect the entire state, not just that island, because the general election includes state and federal candidates,” President Beppie Shapiro said in the news release. “The effects of a botched Hawaii County election in November could spread beyond the Big Island.”
Kawauchi said she’s going to contact the league to see if she can address their concerns in person, rather than through the County Council.
