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Green Party finds
disqualified candidate’s
application

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By Rod Thompson
Big Island correspondent

KAILUA-KONA -- After a Kona judge disqualified would-be Big Island mayoral candidate Darryl "Buck" Wheat from running as a Green last week because he wasn't a party member, the party yesterday said it found Wheat's membership application.

Party Co-Chairwoman Jeanne O'Brien said she notified Judge Ronald Ibarra, Wheat's attorney Susan Evans, and county attorney Richard Wurdeman, who had defended County Clerk Al Konishi's decision to put Wheat on the ballot.

"This is really messy," said Wheat on hearing the news.

Party treasurer Jeff Turner said he searched twice for the application before leaving the state July 28. After he returned Aug. 16, he found it in a pile of mail apparently collected by an employee while he was gone. It was postmarked July 12.

Wheat had said he included $5 because a donation was required. O'Brien said no money was found.

Konishi said ballots have already been printed. Notices will be posted telling voters Wheat isn't a valid candidate, but if people vote for him anyway and his votes beat Green candidate Keiko Bonk, Konishi will declare a vacancy in the Green Party candidacy.

The law then gives the Greens the option of naming Bonk to replace Wheat in the general election, he said. O'Brien said Konishi is misinterpreting the law, and votes for Wheat should not be counted.