LIHUE — The voting map won’t be carved up. The Kauai County Charter Review Commission rejected three proposals Monday that would have let county voters determine whether County Council districts, and the election of those seats, should be changed. “It
LIHUE — The voting map won’t be carved up.
The Kauai County Charter Review Commission rejected three proposals Monday that would have let county voters determine whether County Council districts, and the election of those seats, should be changed.
“It seems to me that, of all the options under consideration, none of them have risen to the top as superior to the current system,” Charter Review Commissioner Jan TenBruggencate said before casting his no-vote during Monday’s public meeting on whether the county should revamp its voting map. “In lacking a superior option, I don’t think we should just throw something out there just to see if people will vote for it because it’s a serious matter — it does change the fundamental form of our government and how we work.”
The decision to forego a ballot question on County Council redistricting, at least for now, followed several months of discussions on whether it was time to change how the seven-member board is elected and represented on the island.
Some redistricting advocates contended that a change would have allowed localized County Council candidates, those who are more aware of certain issues in their neighborhoods or towns, to have their voices heard.
“I think you should just put one proposal on the ballot so people in favor of districting have something to vote for,” Bert Lyon, a Kilauea resident and longtime redistricting proponent, said to Charter Review commissioners. “I don’t think you really have a good sense of how people really feel about this and the only way to find out is to put it on the ballot.”
Opponents, however, said changing the current structure in which all seven County Council candidates are elected at large could divide Kauai and place localized issues before the good of the whole island.
“Kauai is still small enough where we can get to know our council members and they, in turn, can represent all of Kauai,” Koloa resident Phyllis Kunimura wrote in a letter to the Charter Review Commission before Monday’s meeting. “We still have differing views and concerns, but through the democratic process, government works. In the past few years, we have seen issues, fears, hearsay and concerns pull us apart as neighbor disagreed with neighbor — our once cohesive island began to split.”
A proposal to divide the island into seven County Council districts — one that was initially proffered by some committee members in late October — failed by a 4-2 vote. Commissioners James “Jimmy” Nishida and Charles Patrick Stack voted in favor of it.
Another option that would have allowed voters to elect four of their County Council members by districts and three of them at-large was narrowly struck down by a 3-3 vote. Commissioners Joel Guy, Ed Justus and Charles Patrick Stack voted in favor of it.
The last option, which would have mirrored Maui’s County Council voting system by having all county voters weigh in on candidates from seven island districts, also failed. Commissioners Ed Justus and Charles Patrick Stack voted in favor of it.
The issue is settled unless the commission decides to re-visit it in the future.
“I feel that it is our responsibility, as commissioners, to allow the residents and everyone on Kauai to have a vote,” Guy said. “I definitely continue to learn and think more about different perspectives, however, I think it is my responsibility to allow everyone on Kauai to have a vote and that’s why I’m a part of this commission — not to decide how it is but to really be a vehicle for the community to vote on these issues that affect our county government.”
• Darin Moriki, county government reporter, can be reached at 245-0428 or dmoriki@thegardenisland.com. Follow him on Twitter at @darinmoriki.
