News Release from Hawaii County Clerk

On Aug. 24, the Hawaii County Clerk met with the Attorney General’s Office to discuss Hawaii County’s Aug. 11 Primary Election precinct record books.

Following the meeting, Jamae Kawauchi and the Chief Elections Officer, Scott Nago, spoke by telephone and agreed the State of Hawaii, Office of Elections would keep the original Hawaii County record books and the Office of the County Clerk would be provided with photocopies.

Photocopies were received Aug. 27, 2012. The Hawaii County Clerk is in the process of examining the photocopies.

Also, on Aug. 27, the State of Hawaii, Office of Elections held a voting equipment debriefing in Honolulu. The Hawaii County Clerk has received questions concerning why she did not attend the voting equipment debriefing.

She did not attend the voting equipment debriefing, because she met with the voting equipment vendor’s Regional Manager and Island Representative in Hilo on Aug. 22 at her request. The meeting was a standard debriefing on the voting machines.

It was discussed with them that the voting machines ran well during the Primary Election and that the voting equipment vendor provided and continues to provide very effective service for Hawaii County.

Also, on Aug. 28, the Office of the County Clerk received inquiries about the Elections Program Administrator, and her work status. As stated continuously, the Office of the County Clerk does not provide comment concerning personnel matters.

There is no new information to report concerning this matter.

Note, the Hawaii County Clerk very much wants the public to know as stated previously and continuously, throughout this election, the public is the priority and every vote counts.

In furtherance of this message, the Office of the County Clerk, Elections Division, is committed to working in partnership with the Chief Elections Officer and the State Office of Elections and the public to ensure a secure, open and honest election on Nov. 6, 2012.

Also, by letter dated Aug. 22, the Office of the County Clerk transmitted the ballot language for proposed amendments to the Hawaii County Charter to the State of Hawaii, Office of Elections.

Complete text of the letter and ballot language:

Dear Mr. (Scott) Nago:

Pursuant to section 11-119, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, please find attached six (6)

ballot questions for placement on the 2012 General Election ballot. The six (6) ballot

questions are for proposed amendments to the Hawai‘i County Charter as contained in

Ordinance No. 11-85, Ordinance No. 11-94, Ordinance No. 12-16, Ordinance No. 12-21,

Ordinance No. 12-70, and Ordinance No. 12-110, all duly adopted in accordance with

article XV of the Hawai‘i County Charter.

It is my understanding that the questions pertaining to amendment of the Hawai‘i

County Charter will be printed on the ballot in the order that they appear in this letter.

I would greatly appreciate correspondence from your office acknowledging

receipt of the attached ballot questions. Please feel free to contact me at (808) 961-8271 if

you have any questions about this matter. Thank you for your assistance.

Very truly yours,

JAMAE K. K. KAWAUCHI

Hawai‘i County Clerk

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE HAWAI‘I COUNTY CHARTER

________________

The full text of the charter amendments covered by this ballot is available for inspection

at your polling place. Ask an Election Official for it, if you wish to see it.

________________

For each question:

If you agree, VOTE “YES.”

If you disagree, VOTE “NO.”

________________

1. Hawai‘i: Records and Meetings Open to the Public

Shall the County Charter be amended to repeal existing provisions relating to publication

of notices of meetings of the council, boards or commissions to be replaced with: “The

council, board or commission shall provide notice of any regular, special, rescheduled or

emergency meeting according to the provisions of the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes”?

? YES

? NO

________________

2. Hawai‘i: Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation

Fund

Shall the Hawai‘i County Charter’s provisions relating to the Public Access, Open Space,

and Natural Resources Preservation Fund be amended to:

• Raise the minimum required contribution into the Public Access, Open Space, and

Natural resources Preservation Fund from a minimum of one percent (1%) of real

property tax revenue (including penalty and interest) to two percent (2%) of real

property tax revenue (including penalty and interest);

• Require a restrictive covenant be placed in the deed transferring the acquired land

or easement as follows: “This (land/easement) was acquired with moneys from

the Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation Fund. It shall

be held in perpetuity for the use and enjoyment of the people of Hawai‘i County

and may not be sold, mortgaged, traded or transferred in any way.”; and

• Make clear that the funds may only be used to purchase land or easements, and

not for any other purpose?

? YES

? NO

________________

3. Hawai‘i: Public Access, Open Space, and Natural Resources Preservation

Maintenance Fund

Shall the Hawai‘i County Charter be amended by creating a Public Access, Open Space,

and Natural Resources Preservation Maintenance Fund, which would:

• Require that one-quarter of one percent (.25%) of real property tax revenue

(including penalty and interest) be deposited into this fund for the maintenance

and preservation of lands acquired using the Public Access, Open Space, and

Natural Resources Preservation Fund;

• Set a $3,000,000 cap on the accrual of deposits into this fund from real property

tax revenue (including penalty and interest);

• Prohibit the use of the fund for planning, design, development, or construction of

new buildings, roads, and facilities; and

• Create a stewardship grant program to allow the County Council to provide grant

money from this fund to nonprofit organizations to maintain and preserve these

lands?

? YES

? NO

________________

4. Hawai‘i: Establishing Special Funds

Shall the Hawai‘i County Charter be amended to allow the County Council to create

special funds without first obtaining the recommendation of the Mayor?

? YES

? NO

________________

5. Hawai‘i: Eligibility for Redistricting Commissioners to be Candidates for

County Council

Shall section 3-17, County Redistricting Commission, of the Hawai‘i County Charter be

amended by adding the following, to take effect after the 2021 Redistricting Plan: “(i) No

member of the redistricting commission shall be eligible to become a candidate for

election to the County Council in the first election under any such redistricting plan”?

? YES

? NO

________________

6. Hawai‘i: Establishing a Game Management Advisory Commission

Shall the Hawai‘i County Charter be amended to create a Game Management Advisory

Commission that would advise County, State, and Federal agencies on matters related to

the preservation of subsistence hunting and fishing, protection of traditional and cultural

gathering rights, and the taking and conservation of aquatic life and wildlife?

? YES

? NO