HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0810.012 2010-2012 COUNTY CLERIC ' .
COUNTY OF HAWAII .fµ=
David M. Ross, Jr. RECEIVED '°
77-6219 A Kaumalumalu Drive Time /b:/vs t By .[ J
Holualoa, Hawaii 96725 Date"A U G 2 0 O1'
(808) 322-7152 [. ��
August 20, 2012
Hawaii County Council
25 Auf uni Street, Room
Hilo, I-awai`i 96720
Attention: Dominique Yagong, Chairman
Subjec,:. Comments on 8/11/12 Primary Election Process
Issues raised by Scott Nago, State Chief Elections Officer.
Dear Chairman Yagong and Members of the County Council,
I have f)llowed with interest the discussion of election matters over the last 4-6 weeks.
Readir, of the involvement of the FBI obviously piqued my interest as it must have done
for many Big Island residents. I googled "Hawaii County Elections" and " FBI", and
found a number of stories that have been written over the last few months on this subject.
Since, fall, I have attended a series of meetings of Kona residents who have gathered
regularly to discuss local politics over a beer at a local restaurant, which has become
known; as the Kona Beer Party (KBP). We have had speakers on a broad range of
subjects including Lowell Kalapa (Tax Foundation Hawaii), Sheila Weinberg (Institute
for Truth in Accounting), Jonathan Williams (co-author of Rich States, Poor States),
Dick Rowland (Grassroot Institute of Hawaii), Jim Rath moderating a forum of
candidgtes for State House and Senate seats from West Hawaii.
On Friday August 10, I called the County Clerks office to see if we could get an
opportunity to have the County Clerk join us in Kona at some future date. She graciously
took my call, and said that after the Saturday Primary, she would be happy to address the
KBP. I met her for the first time, when I picked her up the following Tuesday to bring
her to Kona for the Tuesday night meeting.
Since then I have had an opportunity to look deeper into all the matters that are currently
surfacing in the news. I was a poll watcher at Kona Vistas, 05-08, precinct. I saw the
books finally be delivered at 8:40am, which I believe was one of the latest deliveries on
the island. However, I also witness the smooth flow of voters through my time there up
until noon.
It is clear that numerous irregularities have arisen and need to be addressed. From my
interactions with Ms. Kawauchi, I believe she genuinely has the best interests of our
community at heart. It isn't clear why the van deliveries in West Hawaii did not have all
Comm. 0 • 12-•
Ref.To:
Ref. Date d u 2 _
1.
the proper materials in them early in the morning. I recommend you give these matters
some more time to be cleared up, before you embark on "drastic action" as I read one
council member has proposed. It is mystifying to me that one would "not want more
information", but to take action without clarity. In the KBP meeting Tuesday night, I
characterized that approach as "Ready, Shoot, Aim". It doesn't speak of good leadership
if that is the approach we take.
Bottom line, I hope that our State Motto will be embraced and followed. The Life Of
The Land Is Perpetuated In Righteousness. One friend put it very simply: "What is the
righteous thing to do?" I would suggest that swift drastic action without taking time to
look at the details of this matter is NOT the right course.
So, I leave you with that same question. What is the righteous thing to do? I trust you
and your colleagues on the County Council will consider this matter carefully and find a
wise answer together.
Mahal
(.„„
David Ross ' ....
808-322-7152 w