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IN AND AROUND THE CAPITOL
Marketer wants to revive
the Reform Party in HawaiiEx-boxer John Jackson must first get
By Richard Borreca
602 voters' signatures on a petition
before an April 6 deadline
Star-BulletinSaying all he wants to do is give people a chance to vote for something different, former professional boxer John Jackson is trying to revive Hawaii's Reform Party.
"There were 26,000 who voted for the Reform Party in 1996 in Hawaii," Jackson said.
"A lot of people say the Democrats take them for granted, and they aren't comfortable with the Republicans, so we give them another choice," he said.
Jackson first came to Hawaii in 1981 as a professional boxer but left, saying it was too difficult to make a living boxing in the islands.
He retired from boxing in 1990 and worked for a market survey company in Las Vegas until deciding to return to Hawaii. He is the owner here of J & H Research and Consulting, which specializes in public surveys and marketing.
"I was coming over here two or three times a year, so I figured I might as well move," he said.
Living in Kalihi in 1996, Jackson ran for and almost won a neighborhood board position. Although he lost, the experience of local politics got him excited.
Although Jackson said he was a Republican then, he does not like either major political party.
After the raucous convention featuring fights between delegates supporting Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura and Texas businessman Ross Perot, Jackson says he also has his doubts about the national Reform Party.
"That convention was a disaster. People were pulling the microphone away from speakers -- the police came in just as the Hawaii delegation was backing out the door -- you could see chairs flying and everything," he said.
"I'm distancing myself and the Hawaii Reform Party from the mainland party," he said.
"I don't care about the national party as much as I care about a choice for the local people," Jackson said.
Before he gets that chance, Jackson must first get the Reform Party on the ballot. He is in the process of circulating a petition for ballot access. The party needs to get the signatures of 602 registered voters before an April 6 deadline, according to the state elections office.
Other officers with the local reform party are John O'Connor, vice chairman; Calvin Griffen, secretary; and Chad Love, treasurer.
The Hawaii Reform Party's Web site is http://hawaii.reformparty. org.
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Neighbor islanders, call toll-free and enter ext. 70478 after the number:
Big Island, 974-4000; Maui,
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Molokai and Lanai, 468-4644.
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