Political vacancy process vetoed
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By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Government Writer
For the second year, Gov. Linda Lingle has vetoed a bill that would require her to fill vacancies in the state Legislature and the U.S. Senate from lists provided by the political parties.
The governor is already required to choose replacements from the same political party of the person leaving office. But the bill would set up a system in which the political party involved recommends three nominees who have been party members for at least six months.
House and Senate Democrats said the bill would prevent political gamesmanship, but Lingle said party leaders are not elected and not accountable to the public. She also believes the bill would restrict the pool of available candidates because not everyone would meet the strict requirements of the proposed law.
The bill came up last session after complaints from Democrats about Lingle's selection of Bev Harbin to fill a Kaka'ako state House seat in 2005. Harbin had joined the Democratic Party so she could qualify for the appointment. Harbin lost in the Democratic primary last year.
"I thought she would have learned from the whole Harbin debacle," said state Rep. Marcus Oshiro, D-39th (Wahiawa).
Democrats are also worried about how the Republican governor might fill potential vacancies in the U.S. Senate. Both of Hawai'i's Democratic senators, Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel Akaka, are 82.
Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com.
Correction: The state Legislature had only until the close of its regular 2007 session to override Gov. Linda Lingle's veto of a bill limiting her choices when filling vacancies in the state Legislature or U.S. Senate. A previous version of this story incorrectly implied that lawmakers could override the veto if they choose to hold an override session in the summer.
