Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 13, Number 8, 1 August 1996 — Vote registration ends, last wave of ballots sent out [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Vote registration ends, last wave of ballots sent out

Balloting got under way for the Native Hawaiian Vote last month amid a flurry of accusations that the vote was ill timed and illeeal.

By July 15, approximately 85,000: people were registered for the vote. On Friday, July 26, the Hawaiian Sovereientv Elections Council (HSEC)

sent out the last wave of ballots to eligible Hawaiians. For a vote to be counted it must be returned — and in HSEC's mail box - by August 15.

The HSEC office received a number of last minute calls from Hawaiians with questions about the vote. Some expressed eoncern about not getting a ballot. Others were uncertain about what a "yes" or "no" vote would actually mean. They were worried that a "yes" vote might mean an end to benefits they were receiving and eonfused by reports that

were highly critical of the vote. HSEC staff responded to concerns by sending information to homes clarifyine what the vote is meant to do.

The July 7 "Focus" section of the Sunday Honolulu Advertiser published the positions of the opposing camps as its lead story, bringing the controversy into hundreds of thousands of homes across the state.

Critics stepped up their public demonstrations against the vote with ballot burnings and regular letters to the island's daily newspapers. On July 17, four individuals - including OHA Trustee Billie Beamer - filed suit

against HSEC, the governor and the state comptroller, charging that the vote violates the U.S. Constitution and discriminates against non-Hawaiians. The publicity has helped spur some healthy debate but it has also served to confuse Hawaiians about what the vote is actually about and where it will lead.

HSEC officials say all the negative publicity has actually helped their efforts because it is reminding people of the vote and that thev should mail

their ballots. They also say Hawaiians are getting tired of the public criticisms and want the process to move forward. "We're finding that the opposition's tactics are not working," says Lulani McKenzie, HSEC executive director. "People are getting tired of the eomplaining and want the process to move forward."