Kaho'ohalahala, a Democrat who won re-election to the 13th District seat (E. Maui, Moloka'i, Lana'i) in November, resigned Thursday to become executive director of the Kaho'olawe Island Reserve Commission.

The vacancy is the first since Lingle took office at the end of 2002.

When Randall Iwase resigned from the state Senate in 2000, then-Gov. Ben Cayetano replaced him with then-Rep. Ron Menor, and picked Charlotte Nekota, Iwase's aide, to take over for Menor in the House.

The Republican Lingle, by law, must appoint another Democrat.

The resumés are to be reviewed by a preliminary screening panel consisting of former Maui Mayor James "Kimo" Apana, who is now chairman of the Maui County Democratic Party; Sen. Rosalyn Baker, D-5th (W. Maui, S. Maui); state Labor Director Nelson Befitel, a Moloka'i native; Shay Chan Hodges, chairwoman of the Democratic Party's 13th House District; state Budget Director Georgina Kawamura, a Lana'i native; and George Kaya, the governor's Maui liaison.

Panel members will review the resumés and select up to six names each to submit to Lingle by Jan. 24. A three-member panel will then interview the candidates and pick three finalists to submit to the governor by Jan. 31.

The three interviewers will be Bob Awana, Lingle's chief of staff; Sen. Les Ihara, D-9th (Kapahulu, Kaimuki, Palolo); and Linda Smith, the governor's senior policy adviser.

Lingle then will make a selection by Feb. 7.

Hodges has submitted a list of nine names that were selected by precinct officers and other community leaders in the district. Kaho'ohalahala has also recommended a successor.

Hodges said she was pleased with the governor's commitment to an open process, but wants to work with others involved in the process to speed things up. "We would like our representative to start as soon as possible," she said.