StarBulletin.com

Voter voices


By

POSTED: Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Presidential voters

;

Michelle Brodie
  Age: 35
  Home: Lanikai
  Occupation: Mother of two
  Voted for: John McCain
  Why: “Just in terms of the economy. His planning makes a lot more sense. And I really, really like Sarah Palin.”

Gary Woitovitch
  Age: 53
  Home: Kailua
  Occupation: City water quality technician
  Voted for: Barack Obama.
  Why: “I think we need a change; he’s intelligent, and I’m a Democrat.” 

;

Joe “The Fiddler” Bourque
  Age: 85
  Home: Waikiki
  Occupation: Plays the electric fiddle
  Voted for: John McCain
  Why: “I don’t think he has a chance, but I’m a veteran. He’s such an honorable person ... quite a guy. But Obama is a good choice.”

 

;

Kirk Bowman
  Age: 56
  Home: Waikiki
  Occupation: Retired solar supplier
  Voted for: Barack Obama
  Why: “I think he’s a good man and will make a good president. I might have preferred a moderate Republican, but there’s no choice.”

 

Mayoral

;

Virgil Nagrampa
  Age: 71
  Home: Kapolei
  Occupation: Retired U.S. Navy
  Voted for: Mufi Hannemann
  Why: “;Ever since he started, Mufi has concentrated more on the second city, which is Kapolei. I think his focus on the Leeward side is good and that the railway system is good.”;

 


 

;

Alan Omine
  Age: 27
  Home: Kalihi
  Occupation: University of Hawaii Manoa student
  Voted for: Mufi Hannemann
  Why: “;He's been a mixed bag but given the chance Mufi will do a good job. I don't think (Ann Kobayashi) has the overall focus for running the city.

 

;

Jay Lalley
  Age: 31
  Home: Kapolei
  Occupation: Construction worker
  Voted for: Ann Kobayashi
  Why: “;I like her stand on many issues. I support her looking into the tax cuts.”;

 

;

Claudette Masoli
  Age: 63
  Home: Kalihi
  Occupation: Deaconess
  Voted for: Ann Kobayashi
  Why: “;(Mufi Hannemann) said he was gonna help the homeless. It wasn't so. He said he wasn't gonna raise any taxes, and we did get taxed obviously. And the rail is a bad idea.”;

 

Con Con

;

Liz Rizzo-Dubois
  Age: 54
  Home: Lanikai
  Occupation: Has diversified interests
  Voted: Against holding a Constitutional Convention.
  Why: “;I don't want the Constitution changed. It's going to cost us money and it's better for the people of Hawaii (not to have it).


;

Larry Olive
  Age: 47
  Home: Kapolei
  Occupation: Logistics
  Voted: For holding a Constitutional Convention
  Why: “;The reason for the Constitutional Convention is for updating the laws, and even the opponents of it, they don't say why vote no. They just say vote no because of the cost. But let's face it, the Constitution is 50 years old.”;

 

;

Aly Case
  Age: 22
  Home: Kailua
  Occupation: University of Hawaii-Manoa student
  Voted: Against holding a Constitutional Convention.
  Why: “;It would take a lot of money away from the Board of Education. There are more important things to spend money on.”;

 

;

Paul Sutton
  Age: 45
  Home: Kaimuki
  Occupation: Teacher
  Voted: For holding a Constitutional Convention
  Why: “;The Department of Education and Board of Education is really top heavy in the administration, and perhaps going back and taking a look at that could maybe smooth things out, especially now because the problem with the budget cuts. ... I've also heard talks about we can make separate districts as opposed to the statewide system.”;

 

;

Edwina Moscatelli
  Age: 59
  Home: Diamond Head
  Occupation: Retired flight attendant
  Voted: Against holding a Constitutional convention
  Why: “;I don't think in this economy we have the money. We shouldn't be spending it on that. Look at the condition of the roads and the airport, the first thing that greets people when they arrive. it looks like the Third World.”;

 

;

Keith Bennett
  Age: 38
  Home: Waikiki
  Occupation: Property manager
  Voted: Against the Constitutional Convention
  Why: “;It seems to me it could open up a can of worms.”;

 

 

Rail transit

;

Aaron Okumura
  Age: 36
  Home: Aiea
  Occupation: Teacher
  Voted: For rail transit
  Why: “;I've rode the rail in San Francisco, and it was safe and positive. And at least I know where my tax dollars are going.”;


;

Edna Ott
  Age: 35
  Home: Kahala
  Occupation: Full-time mother of two
  Voted: For rail transit
  “;I'm from Vancouver, British Columbia, and (the SkyTrain) there has been so successful for the economy, the community. It's a win-win situation.”;

 

;

Kevin Dusendschon
  Age: 36
  Home: Aiea
  Occupation: Ocean transportation
  Voted: Against rail transit
  Why: “;I don't have faith. Any government office in Hawaii has not been able to plan things correctly. It's always overbudgeted, always overscheduled. They can't even fix our potholes correctly.”;

 

;

MacKinnon Simpson
  Age: 66
  Home: Kaimuki
  Occupation: Writer/book designer
  Voted: Against rail transit
  Why: “;I don't even look at the dollars. To me, it's ugly for starters. We're not going to get out of our cars. ... And the city's not really cut out for it.”;

 

Legislature

51st House District race between Quentin Kawananakoa and Chris Lee

;

Skip Shuck
  Age: 31
  Home: Lanikai
  Occupation: General contractor
  Voted for: Chris Lee
  Why: “I’m just a Democrat basically, in short.”

 

 

;

Gus Bechert
  Age: 63
  Home: Kailua
  Occupation: Retired from military service
  Voted for: Chris Lee
  Why: “I don’t like the attitude of Mr. Kawananakoa. He had problems in the past.”

 

12th Senate District seat between Sen. Gordon Trimble versus Brickwood Galuteria 

;

Patrick Sambueno
  Age: 43
  Home: Waikiki
  Occupation: Sales
  Voted for: Gordon Trimble
  Why: “To put some balance in there.”

 


;

Kim May
  Age: 30
  Home: Waikiki
  Occupation: Bar manager
  Voted for: Gordon Trimble
  Why: “I read all the excerpts from the paper, all their comments. Some answers really scared me. He was more straightforward, the lesser of the evils..”

 

Big Island

Kent Fox
  Age: 65
  Home: Hilo
  Occupation: Artist
  Voted for: Angel Pilago
  Why:  I think his policies may be more in line with my interests. I think he may have more concern for minority groups.

Melissa Taylor
  Age: 36
  Home: Hilo
  Occupation: Clerk
  Voted for:  Billy Kenoi
  Why:  He’s been in law before, and he helped a family member of mine. He didn’t know my family member and still he helped him. I felt that he cares for people. 

Asked by Rod Thompson at Hilo High School.

Kauai

;

Jerrie Swiatoviak
  Age: 65
  Home: Kapaa, Kauai
  Occupation: Retired
  Voted for: JoAnn Yukimura
  Why: “She’s the best woman for the job. She has a good track record. I respect her values.”


;

Valerie Ray
  Age: 46
  Home: Kapaa, Kauai
  Occupation: Shop owner
  Voted for: JoAnn Yukimura
  Why: “She has a great track record and she’s very knowledgable.”

 


;

Rufelia Levinthol
  Age: 48
  Home: Kapaa, Kauai
  Occupation: Accounts payable clerk
  Voted for: Bernard Carvalho
  Why: “He is a fresh face. His heart.”

 


;

Rob Neuhoff
  Age: 45
  Home: Kapaa, Kauai
  Occupation: Painter
  Voted for: Bernard Carvalho
  Why: “I’m for growth. I think Yukimura is against growth. It’s a fact of life that we need to expand.”

 

Asked by Tom Finnegan at Kapaa Elementary School cafeteria