Posted on: Thursday, September 30, 2004

ELECTION NOTES
Nader backers press ballot issue

Advertiser Staff

State elections chief Dwayne Yoshina yesterday said he will rule in a couple days on a challenge to his decision that Ralph Nader will not be included on Hawai'i's presidential ballot.

Yoshina commented during a hearing requested by Nader supporters. At the start of the hearing, Yoshina refused to recuse himself as the hearings officer for the case.

The Nader campaign was required to submit 3,711 valid signatures to get on the Hawai'i ballot. The Office of Elections on Sept. 20 informed the Nader supporters they fell 39 signatures short. Four days later, Yoshina informed them a recalculation shows they were 587 signatures short.

Lori Tomczyk, ballot operations coordinator in the Office of Elections, said the discrepancy was a result of one batch of petitions being counted twice.

Attorney Jay Friedheim, who represented the Nader campaign yesterday, said all he wants is a recount of the signatures with Nader campaign representatives present. He said if Yoshina rules against him, he will have to discuss with national campaign officials if they want to take the case to court.

House Dist. 50 debate tonight

Tonight's live one-hour political debate at 6:30 p.m. on 'Olelo Community Television's Channel 54 features the candidates for House District 50, Republican incumbent Cynthia Thielen and Democratic challenger Edward Clayton.

The district covers part of Kailua and the Mokapu Peninsula.