Wanted: A respected, independent community leader to head a bipartisan commission whose work could have serious political repercussions throughout the state. State leaders plan
By Pat Omandam
new district lines
Star-BulletinContact: The Hawaii State Reapportionment Commission.
With three weeks left before a May 1 appointment deadline, Republicans in the state Legislature have selected their four members to serve on the reapportionment commission.
House Speaker Calvin Say (D, Palolo) and Senate President Robert Bunda (D, Wahiawa) must name four others.
Once convened, the panel will have 100 days from May Day to redraw Hawaii's legislative and congressional district lines to match population results from Census 2000. It must also decide which of the 25 seats up next year in the state Senate will be two-year terms.
The new election districts would apply to the key 2002 elections, in which almost every political seat in Hawaii is up for grabs.
But before the commission can get down to work, six of the eight members must agree on a chairman.
If they cannot, the democratically appointed state Supreme Court will choose one.
"I don't think we have any preconception of whether that person should be a Democrat or a Republican," said attorney Rick Clifton, one of the four people appointed by Senate and House Republicans yesterday.
Clifton serves as legal counsel to the Hawaii GOP and is a leading candidate for federal appointment to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Republican legislative leaders also appointed Deron Akiona, managing director of the Anesthesia Medical Group Inc. and former executive director of Haku Alliance; Jill Frierson, former director of the Minority Research Office in both the House and Senate; and Kenny Lum, a businessman, community leader and restaurateur.
Republicans are not looking to take advantage of the process and try to carve out districts where there are Republican majorities, said House Minority Leader Galen Fox (R, Waikiki).
"We're not looking for the kind of edge that you sometimes hear about," Fox said. "We're just looking for a fair, balanced process."
The state Constitution requires the commission redo election district boundaries every 10 years. Also, legislative leaders must choose others from each island to serve on apportionment advisory councils.
Commission appointees are banned from running for public office for the first two elections under any new reapportionment plan. They are paid $50 per meeting plus any expenses incurred.
State of Hawaii
