LIHU‘E – The Hawai‘i Supreme Court will take over naming the chair of the Hawai‘i Reapportionment Commission, after commission members failed to select a ninth member to serve as chair within 30 days, said Mark Santoki, Hawai‘i State Judiciary Communications
LIHU‘E – The Hawai‘i Supreme Court will take over naming the chair of the Hawai‘i Reapportionment Commission, after commission members failed to select a ninth member to serve as chair within 30 days, said Mark Santoki, Hawai‘i State Judiciary Communications Officer.
“The Supreme Court has to select the chair, and the deadline for application is on Tuesday,” Santoki said.
Reapportionment — conducted every 10 years — is the process of dividing the number of state representatives and senators among the state’s population to assure districts of equal population, according to the state of Hawai‘i official website.
State law requires a bipartisan commission to conduct the reapportionment. The Democratic and Republican parties choose four commission members each.
The eight members were hand-picked by President of the Senate Shan Tsutsui, Senate Minority Leader Sam Slom, Speaker of the House Calvin Say and House Minority Leader Gene Ward.
“Commission members were appointed by those authorities,” Santoki said. “They’re supposed to get together and name someone.”
Because commission members could not reach a consensus by the deadline, the responsibility falls on the Supreme Court, he said.
The majority of appointed commission members are from O‘ahu, and none are from Kaua‘i. Santoki said there is still time for Kaua‘i residents to apply for the position.
The Hawai‘i Supreme Court has to select the chair by May 1, but the application deadline is Tuesday at 2 p.m. Applications can be sent via email to chiefjustice@courts.state.hi.us or hand-delivered at the Office of the Chief Clerk in Honolulu at 417 South King Street.
Requirements
Applicants need to provide a résumé and a cover letter including a statement explaining the applicant’s qualifications, education and employment history, names of immediate relatives serving in elected office, disclosures of pending litigation, tax, criminal or other matters, anything else that could adversely affect the application and three references.
Additionally, applicants must be United States citizens or permanent legal aliens, residents of Hawai‘i, and not serve in any other board or commission.
The selected applicant will not be eligible to run for a seat in either the state or U.S. House in the two elections completion of the reapportionment plan.
Once the commission is complete, it will have to produce an initial draft reapportionment by July 23. The commission will host meetings statewide to gather public comment and review.
On Sept. 11 the final reapportionment plan is scheduled to be submitted to the Chief Election Chair.
Go to www.courts.state.hi.us for more information.
