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Primary ballots were poorly designed Why were all parties except the Democratic Party on one side of the primary ballot, with the Democratic ballot on the non-partisan side? There was plenty of room on the front! I am sure this made the ballot confusing for people. When will our officials stop playing infantile games with the voters and be fair? Laura Brown Mililani As the official issuing ballots in my precinct during the primary, I observed the situation first hand. After the first two hours of voting, the percentage of spoiled ballots ran about 15 percent. No matter how hard we tried to explain the procedure to each voter, the flood of spoiled ballots continued. I would estimate 20,000 spoiled ballots throughout the state. This would have been disastrous if the machines didn't kick them back out so people could re-vote. Essentially, the problem boiled down to the extremely poor design of the ballot itself: Party ballots in which voters could pick only one were on both sides of the ballot and were scrambled in order. The Democratic Party section was placed adjacent to the non-partisan ballot section in what seemed to be a gratuitous attempt to encourage voters not to turn over their ballots to vote in other party primaries. The most frequent mistake was voters marking the Democratic section and the Constitutional Party section, which was stuck in the corner where nonpartisan candidates were listed. A better designed ballot could have prevented this mess. All of the ballots should have been printed on one side, headed by a warning that voters could pick only one party. Then there should have been a notice to turn over the ballot, so everyone could participate in the nonpartisan voting. Don't believe it when they say there wasn't room. There was plenty of room on our ballots and this was true in the other districts, too. The third-party ballots with no candidates running needn't have been on the ballots at all, as they only took up valuable space. When is the state Elections Office ever going to get things right? James V. Hall

Examine motives of OHA candidates

I'm disturbed at the ignorance and/or disregard for OHA's mission statement being displayed by some of the 97 OHA candidates, especially those who aren't Hawaiian. Do they really understand why they're running for office or the stakes involved?

OHA is an acronym meaning Office of Hawaiian Affairs, not Office of Hawaii's Citizens Association, or Other Than Hawaiians Allowed.

This organization supports the Hawaiian trust and its beneficiaries, not the state of Hawaii. This is what Hawaiians are fearful of: OHA funds being made into some kind of state slush fund or rainy-day fund.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the OHA election process was unconstitutional, not the OHA fund or the rights of its beneficiaries. My suggestion to future candidates, whether for OHA or other political offices: Educate yourself, have the right intentions and never assume anything.

Darryn Dela Vega
Kaneohe

Is using profanity part of being Hawaiian?

Haunani and Mililani Trask are Hawaiian and they say they feel Hawaiian.

So when Haunani held up a sign with a non-Hawaiian word on it that was questioned by some as in bad taste, was she feeling Hawaiian then, or was that the haole blood running through her veins? When Mililani uses a racial comment, is that the haole or Hawaiian talking?

They can wear pareaus, and comment on Hawaiian issues, but what these two intelligent sisters (who I respect intellectually) need to ask themselves is whether the Hawaiian or the haole side is talking. Because they are both, they cannot deny that being haole is  part of their lives, and they feel haole everyday; just as much as they feel Hawaiian. Maybe even more than they suspect, they act haole.

Chucky Santiago
Wahiawa

Quotables "I told our players we still had 10 games left and not to get down. We need to play the way we practice. We're not doing that right now." June Jones UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII HEAD FOOTBALL COACH On the disappointing 0-2 season opening for the Warriors "I don't know how many committees I can belong to but I have so many ideas, my mind's going crazy!" Gary Okino ONE OF TWO NEW MEMBERS OF THE HONOLULU CITY COUNCIL Leaving behind 30-plus years as a city planner to join the ranks of elected officials. Okino said he'd like to be chairman of either the Zoning or Planning committee.

Has new nickname jinxed the old 'Bows?

Maybe June Jones and the Warriors "wen' ba-chi themselves" because of the team's name change. Perhaps a switch back to the Rainbows will "unba-chi" them so they can win again.

Henry Pundyke Jr.
Kaneohe

Local boxer was robbed of Olympic medal

Brian Viloria was robbed ("Hawaiian Punch sees gold-medal hopes dashed by French boxer," Star-Bulletin, Sept. 22).

Apparently, clean punches to an opponent's body do not count in Olympic boxing. The judges did not count a single body punch of the five or six that Viloria landed.

I feel bad for him because he worked so hard to get to Sydney. So what's next? I believe he has a solid chance to be WBA, IBF or WBC flyweight champion.

Mahalo, Brian, and great job. You made us all proud!

Steve Tayama
Waimanalo

Soccer complex will be costly to maintain

With all the raves and praises the Waipio soccer fields have been receiving, has anybody asked how many maintenance positions have been created to properly maintain the facility? This could be asked for all other "improvements" from the present city administration.

Has anybody calculated the true cost -- construction, financing and maintenance expenses -- for all these beautiful improvements? I am willing to bet that, four years from now, soccer parents will be grumbling about the terrible playing conditions of the fields.

I'd also venture that taxpayers like me are going to get stuck with these costs long after the rascals are out of office, have retired and are enjoying their retirement benefits.

Melvin Minakami
Kaneohe

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