HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0810.004 2010-2012 A/ ac:a.
Murashige, Laura M14-1 E% I 0 SoC''f�t• �
From: Brian Delima [delima @bigislandlawyers.com]
Sent: Monday, August 20, 2012 8:20 AM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us 7 20 A:1 1 6 23
Cc: Gwen Borges
Subject: 2012 Primary Electuon
Chair Yagong and Members of the council:
I am unable to attend the special meeting. I regret that I am compelled to submit written
testimony urging that the County Clerk be immediately replaced or at minimum that the
election division immediately be turned over to the state election office.
The reasons are: the County Clerk has failed to provide the leadership demanded of the
position, failed to respond to legitimate inquiries from citizens and representatives of a
candidate. I personally sent two emails to the election email address on election day and
to this day have received no response. She issued false information in a press release in
the morning of the primary (stated all polls were open at 7 am except one) , indicated in
that same press release that there would be media updates throughout the day and failed to
correct the false information and failed to provide any updates. This total failure to
communicate by the clerk is inconsistent with the stated position of each council member
to operate a transparent operation for a fully informed electorate. Your clerk has
failed to communicate, released inaccurate information, and has eroded public confidence
in the operation of public elections, historically a flawless operation.
Recently, she has publicly commented that elections cannot be 100% error free and blames
the State election office for her failing to check and double check her own operation.
I am submitting this testimony out of a civic duty to speak up and urge each council
member to set aside your personal political agenda and loyalties, and protect the
integrity of the electoral process by turning over the entire county operation to the
office of state elections at a minimum, if there is an unwillingness to dismiss your
appointee.
It is a dereliction of our civic responsibility not to speak up and request that the
majority of this council hold the clerk accountable for her actions and inaction. Public
confidence requires action and not more promises that everything is under control nor a
promise that the general election operation will improve.
Sincerely,
Brian De Lima
Sent from my iPhone
Comm. No 0
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Ref. Date U 2 0 2012