Legislation needed to create voter information pamphlet
On Friday, Dr. Don Claeys expressed his disappointment that Hawaii has no voter information pamphlet in a letter to the editor. The League of Women Voters of Hawaii County (LWVHC) shares his frustration. For 20 years, the league has sought legislation that would implement such a pamphlet. The league is a nonpartisan organization that works to increase understanding of public policy issues and to influence public policy through education and advocacy.
While the county did post the ballot language, summaries, and fiscal impact statements of the proposed charter amendments on their website, voters often find the official wording a challenge. Other than names on the ballot, the county has no candidate information on its site.
Years ago, the League of Women Voters of Hawaii County stepped in to fill this breach. VOTE411 provides both candidate information and information on issues, including pros and cons on the charter amendments. It is the only place where voters can find thoughtful, unbiased information on Hawaii County’s ballot. You can find VOTE411 on the LWVHC’s website at https://my.lwv.org/hawaii/hawaii-county.
Unfortunately, the League of Women Voters of Hawaii County does not have much of an advertising budget, and along with a few ads, the league has relied on word-of-mouth to spread the word about VOTE411.
As for a voter pamphlet, the league will continue to work for its passage at both the local and the state levels. If you see the need for such a pamphlet, please join us in our legislative efforts.
Rosemarie Muller
President, League of Women Voters of Hawaii County
We are people,
not cattle
I traveled to Oahu on Oct. 14. As a disabled resident of the Big Island, I am subject to medical procedures on Oahu. Upon my return, I was exhausted and in pain. As I disembarked the plane, without notification or warning, my fellow passengers and I were herded like cattle to a cordoned off area with the police surrounding the perimeter so that no one could escape. I soon learned that we were being held there to fill out quarantine information.
There was chaos, employees ran around with their iPads collecting information from the passengers. They collected partial information from one person, then ran to another person and back and forth between about four people at once. They were obviously untrained and ill-prepared to do the job.
I emphasize there was no social distancing set up increasing our chances to catch COVID-19. I received a medical release after being held there for over an hour. I was so shaken that it was difficult to make my two-hour trek home. Mayor Kim changes the “rules of travel” so often the residents can’t keep up. My message to the mayor is to stop violating our civil rights. We are people, not cattle.
Rene Vetter
Naalehu
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