Honolulu representative Neil Abercrombie will resign from Congress to run for governor. Hawaii needs to conduct a special election to replace him. If not, the people of his district could be without a representative.
However, Hawaii doesn’t have the necessary funds to pay for the special Congressional election, which costs approximately $1 million.
Abercrombie, who represents over 600,000 people in the Honolulu district, plans to leave office Feb. 28. The 19-year Hawaii congressman announced his plan to “devote all my efforts to the 2010 campaign for governor of the State of Hawaii” in a Jan. 4 press release.
According to a Hawaii Report to the Election Commission, the past three congressional elections needed federal funding and will need more if they are to hold the election. The elections office in Hawaii is predicting 2010 to be another deficit year.
The Hawaii Election Office had proposed to close 97 precincts for 2010, reducing the number of polling places from 339 to 242. Then Chief Election Officer Kevin B. Cronin said in the Dec. 1 report, “Reality is that no election in any format can be organized and implemented successfully with our limited staff of 14 employees and no authority or funds to hire anyone else to work.”
Cronin, who resigned on Dec. 31, told the Elections Commission, which had asked for the plan, that his department lacks personnel in four key positions. The department normally hires 15 temporary workers to put on an election. He warned that the lack of funds and workers will adversely impact voters, leading to lawsuits.
Interim Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago told the Associated Press that the department has only $5,000 to last until July. An election may cost as much as $1 million.
No date is set for a special election to fill the congressman’s seat. The earliest possible date for it is May 1. Congressman Abercrombie’s press secretary, Randy Obata, “by law there has to be a 60 day window,” between the announcement of an election and the election itself.
Obata said the State Legislature and the Elections Board met last week to discuss the problem. No one knows yet how it will be resolved.
“That’s where we are right now,” said Obata.
Additional reporting by Jack Phillips.
However, Hawaii doesn’t have the necessary funds to pay for the special Congressional election, which costs approximately $1 million.
Abercrombie, who represents over 600,000 people in the Honolulu district, plans to leave office Feb. 28. The 19-year Hawaii congressman announced his plan to “devote all my efforts to the 2010 campaign for governor of the State of Hawaii” in a Jan. 4 press release.
According to a Hawaii Report to the Election Commission, the past three congressional elections needed federal funding and will need more if they are to hold the election. The elections office in Hawaii is predicting 2010 to be another deficit year.
The Hawaii Election Office had proposed to close 97 precincts for 2010, reducing the number of polling places from 339 to 242. Then Chief Election Officer Kevin B. Cronin said in the Dec. 1 report, “Reality is that no election in any format can be organized and implemented successfully with our limited staff of 14 employees and no authority or funds to hire anyone else to work.”
Cronin, who resigned on Dec. 31, told the Elections Commission, which had asked for the plan, that his department lacks personnel in four key positions. The department normally hires 15 temporary workers to put on an election. He warned that the lack of funds and workers will adversely impact voters, leading to lawsuits.
Interim Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago told the Associated Press that the department has only $5,000 to last until July. An election may cost as much as $1 million.
No date is set for a special election to fill the congressman’s seat. The earliest possible date for it is May 1. Congressman Abercrombie’s press secretary, Randy Obata, “by law there has to be a 60 day window,” between the announcement of an election and the election itself.
Obata said the State Legislature and the Elections Board met last week to discuss the problem. No one knows yet how it will be resolved.
“That’s where we are right now,” said Obata.
Additional reporting by Jack Phillips.
