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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, January 23, 2002

Campaign mailing violation a 'mistake'

By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

City Council candidate Sam Aiona yesterday said his campaign unknowingly erred when it mailed to voters absentee ballot applications attached to an endorsement for him from state Republican Chairwoman Linda Lingle.

Sam Aiona is running for a seat on the City Council.

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Government watchdog group Common Cause Hawaii on Monday said Aiona and Lingle violated state administrative rules, which prohibit reproduced absentee voter applications from being attached to campaign literature.

Aiona had initially said his campaign did nothing wrong, but yesterday he acknowledged the error. He explained he had done a similar mailing when he ran for the state House in 2000 and that the rules didn't prohibit it then. The current rules took effect Sept. 18, 2000.

"We were unaware that the rules have changed," Aiona said. "I thank Common Cause for bringing it to our attention. But I also am trying to restore honesty and integrity to the City Council and therefore I felt that being honest to the people is the best thing that we can do, so I admitted that we did not follow the rules because we were unaware of the rules."

The rules say reproduced applications for absentee ballots "shall not be included in, attached to, or affixed to, any campaign or informational literature unrelated to voter registration."

Aiona is among 14 candidates running for the City Council seat vacated by Andy Mirikitani, who was convicted of federal corruption charges.

The special election will fill the vacancy in Council District 5, which encompasses Manoa, Mo'ili'ili, McCully, Tantalus, Makiki, Pawa'a, Ala Moana and Kewalo.

Polling places will be open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Registered voters may also vote earlier at a walk-in absentee voting site at Honolulu Hale. It is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through tomorrow.

For more information, call the city clerk at 523-4293 or visit the City and County's special election Web site.