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Transcript of Meeting of May 10, 2000Page 25 of 62
<br />RAY: Opposed?
<br />HANDS RAISED: Commissioners Alonzo, Bess, Higashi, Ray, Santangelo, Yoshiyama.
<br />RAY: Okay, the amendment fails to carry. We’re at the main motion in regard to a non-partisan election
<br />as we had originally voted on, and I think everybody understands that. Yes sir, you’d like to speak to the
<br />main motion?
<br />YOSHIYAMA: No, I want to make an amendment. I’d like to propose an amendment that we delete our
<br />proposed Section (e) relating to at-large Council election.
<br />IRVINE: Second.
<br />RAY: All in favor of that amendment, raise your right hand.
<br />HANDS RAISED: All Commissioners.
<br />SANTANGELO: I’d like to speak to the main motion, just real quick. As a Republican, I’ve had my
<br />Party beat me to death on not supporting non-partisan, and frankly, that’s probably why I am supporting
<br />it. Having served this County, and along with you, John, as a Republican, I felt like that had very little to
<br />do with what I was as an elected official. I felt like once you’re elected, you are there to serve all the
<br />people: Whether they voted or not; whether they’re registered or not; whether they’re male, female,
<br />child or adult; on a County level. On a State and a Federal level, you’re dealing in some very different
<br />territory that’s really working in our lives on a different level, but County, or the services, it’s a different
<br />type of quality of life, and I firmly believe that partisan politics has no place in it, and I, therefore,
<br />support that for that reason.
<br />RAY: Ms. Herkes.
<br />HERKES: I’m a member of a recognized Party that’s also against non-partisan elections, but I am going
<br />to vote in favor of it and, during this discussion, I’ve read a lot of stuff on it. I know it’s the most
<br />popular form in the United States, and all that stuff, but I’ve been especially interested to watch my
<br />reaction in the mayoral race in Honolulu. That is not two Democrats running against each other. It’s two
<br />people running against each other. A very highly visible campaign, very hard fought, and I haven’t
<br />heard the word ‘Democrat’ once. I’ve heard Mufi Hanneman running against Jeremy Harris, and I like
<br />that. I really like that. That gives me a chance to really look at them on their qualifications. I can’t vote
<br />for either one of them, but it’s been an interesting process for me to look at that.
<br />RAY: Any other?
<br />IRVINE: I’d just like to say I’m going to vote against this amendment. I’m not a member of a Party like
<br />some of the rest of you, but I have come to the conclusion, after listening to testimony and doing a lot of
<br />reading, and thinking about it, that it really isn’t a bad idea to have somebody stand on a platform that
<br />indicates their basic philosophy that, even on a County level, there are different ways of handling things
<br />that have to do with basic philosophy, such as the Green Party. National Parties need grassroots support
<br />and it starts at the County level. I just have a feeling that there may be a correlation between non-
<br />partisanship and lack of participation in elections at this time nationally, and I’m just going to vote
<br />against it.
<br />RAY: Other testimony? All in favor of the non-partisan elections, raise your right hand.
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