State House Majority Leader Kirk Caldwell, in an attempt to remove a cloud over his campaign, said yesterday he wants the city clerk's office to determine whether he properly filed his paperwork to run for City Council.

"This is the right thing to do," said Caldwell, D-24th (Manoa), who rushed to make the filing deadline Tuesday afternoon after learning City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi was stepping aside to run for mayor.

"It gets the ball rolling and should ensure that the city clerk makes a determination within five working days of receiving the objection, as is called for by law. The public is poorly served if the question lingers. They have a right to know. And as a candidate, so do I."

Caldwell, who asked one of his supporters to file an objection yesterday and trigger a review, had scrambled to get the required signatures from registered voters by the deadline. At least one city worker apparently signed after the deadline, but Caldwell said he believes he had enough valid signatures without the late addition.

Duke Bainum, Caldwell's opponent and a former Honolulu City Councilman, said yesterday his attorneys are still reviewing the issue and that he would likely be filing his own challenge next week.

Under state law, the city clerk's office has five days to make a preliminary determination and, if a disqualification is recommended, could take the matter to Circuit Court for a ruling. Glen Takahashi, the city's elections administrator, confirmed that a challenge had been filed.

Caldwell said he intends to abide by the clerk's preliminary determination and not wait for a Circuit Court ruling.

"I have always tried to do the right thing as a public servant," he said. "Although there was a very short time frame to make a decision and file my papers on Tuesday, I believe my nomination is valid. However, should the determination of the city clerk invalidate my candidacy, I will most certainly follow the law and cease my candidacy."

Caldwell yesterday also sought to clarify the timing of his withdrawal from his state House campaign. Caldwell said the state Office of Elections was informed on Tuesday that he would withdraw from the House race to run for City Council. His withdrawal was posted Tuesday evening on the office's list of candidates.

However, Caldwell acknowledged that he caused confusion by telling reporters on Tuesday he had another day to reconsider whether to withdraw from the House race. Candidates can ask to withdraw for any reason within one day of the filing deadline, but since Caldwell had already withdrawn, he could not reconsider.

"What I stated (to reporters) was incorrect, pure and simple," he said.

Kevin Cronin, the state's chief elections officer, said yesterday he could not comment on the Caldwell situation other than noting that the withdrawal was posted Tuesday night.

Caldwell's decision to run for City Council led to a late filing by Chrystn Eads, an aide to Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, to replace him as a Democrat in the House. Eads was at the state Office of Elections downtown offices before the filing deadline but did not complete her paperwork until afterward.

Jerilyn Jeffryes, a retired medical administrator and community activist who is running for the state House as a Republican, had said she would challenge whether Eads filed her paperwork on time. But the state GOP announced yesterday afternoon that Helene Webster, a longtime Republican, had filed the challenge.