Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 22, Number 1, 1 January 2005 — OHA election issue [ARTICLE]
OHA election issue
It is disappointing to learn that although Reynolds Kamakawiwo'ole won the popular vote among voters from Hawai'i island, the statewide total favored the incumbent, Linda Dela Cruz. I understand and agree that "At-large" trustees should be elected based on statewide vote tabulations. However, island-specific trustees should be elected by their home-base constituency only. This year, the sheer number of voters
outside of our island overwhelmed the wish for change clearly voiced by those who actually reside on Hawai'i island. At a time when the goal is to bring Hawaiians to the table, to increase involvement and participation in institutions such as OHA, and to chart a true, inclusive course for the future, addressing this inequity would be an important first step. Does anyone else feel the same way? Lani Aubin Waimea, Hawai'i