Posted on: Monday, October 15, 2001

Island Voices
Give us choice in candidates

By Ray Pua
Former city clerk, City & County of Honolulu

I am disappointed in the state Reapportionment Commission for not reviewing multi-member district apportionment plans.

A multi-member districting plan would provide the voter with the opportunity to vote for more than one candidate — two, three or maybe as many as four candidates. A voter would have more than one representative in the state House and Senate. The voter would have the opportunity to voice his concerns to more than one representative. If he didn't like a certain elected candidate, he would have other choices as to whom he wants to meet with to discuss his issues or to resolve his problem.

Multi-member districts would lessen the impact of splitting neighborhoods, keep traditional communities together and eliminate canoe districts.

A voter does not see the district line drawn along his street and wonders why his neighbor across the street can vote at a school just two blocks away, but he has to go to a polling place five miles down the road. (Maybe an easy solution would be to paint the lines dividing the streets and separating the districts in blue. That would help neighbors recognize that they are in different districts.)

Voters are apathetic about voting probably because they have to take time off to go to the polls, wait in line to get their ballot, wait in another line to vote, and then find out they can vote for only one person.

In March 1982, the federal court in Hawai'i struck down the commission's decision to use registered voters as an apportionment base. Because of the upcoming primary election, which limited the time for the commission to draft a new plan, the court appointed special masters to complete a plan in time for the election.

In developing the plan, the masters used a "state citizen" population base, which we now refer to as a resident population base. The masters were directed by the court to prepare several single-member district plans. Because of that and since then, elections have been administered using a single-member district plan.

But this commission had the opportunity to review many proposals, including multi-member district plans. My expectations were high when it was announced that respected leaders of our community were appointed to the commission. But to my dismay, their focus is on politicians — incumbents — who protect their interests, and not on the voter.