Posted on: Tuesday, February 4, 2003

Fewer running for neighborhood boards

By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer

The smallest number of candidates since 1998 has filed to run for seats on the city's 32 neighborhood boards, but all boards will have plenty of members to reach a quorum and do business, according to Ben Kama Jr., executive secretary of the Neighborhood Commission.

A total of 531 people filed applications for 444 board seats on O'ahu by the Jan. 21 deadline for a two-year term beginning June 1 and ending May 31, 2005.

Two years ago, 605 people filed for seats and in 1998, 538 people ran. There are 15 board subdistricts with no candidates this year, and those seats will go empty until they can be filled by the newly elected board members in June.

A board quorum requires that 50 percent of the seats be filled plus one, Kama said.

Elwin Spray, elections assistant with the commission office, said with so many elections in recent months including the primary, general and two special elections, many people are "electioned out."

"One year you'll have a plethora of candidates and the next nobody," he said. "It really goes in cycles."

Ballots will be mailed to all registered voters on O'ahu in mid-March and must be returned by April 21. Results will be announced May 1.

There are 61 uncontested races this year, and ballots will not be mailed to voters in those subdistricts unless they are also eligible to vote for at-large candidates, Kama said. Sending out fewer ballots saves taxpayers about $41,000. Candidates in uncontested races are elected upon certification of the election results.

The election will cost a little more than $200,000, Kama said.

Lynne Matusow, chairwoman of the Downtown Neighborhood Board, said some boards have been changing their districts to allow for more at-large candidates.

"The boards are learning that for some of the subdistricts they can't get candidates," Matusow said. "So many are going with more at-large members and making fewer, larger subdistricts."

Matusow said the boards' role is strictly advisory, but they still make positive changes in their communities.

"We get some stuff done," she said. "Sometimes it's quietly. Sometimes it is publicly. We've asked lawmakers to introduce bills to the Legislature, and five things we've asked for have become law over the years.

"Sometimes we can get community members to sit down and talk things out. The hope is that if there is trouble coming, a little discussion can get rid of the trouble. It's worth it."