LIHU‘E — There are only two days left to cast ballots for the Prosecuting Attorney Special General Election between Acting Prosecutor Rebecca Like and former Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri.
While a race for prosecutor may not get the sort of attention that other elections receive — only 25% of registered voters cast a ballot in the December primary — the position can have far-reaching effects on a community.
A prosecutor decides whether or not to charge crimes, requests bail, negotiates plea deals, and has sway over the sentence that those convicted of a crime receive.
The differences between the two candidates has the chance to shape the future of criminal justice on the island.
Drug crime
Like credits her own experience dealing with substance abuse issues as having shaped her understanding of addiction as a disease, and hopes to focus on dealers, not addicts.
“I will target enforcement resources on violent offenders and those who target the most vulnerable in our community,” said Like. “I will increase focus on evidence-based drug rehabilitation while building cases against drug dealers, especially those dealing methamphetamine and opioids.”
Iseri argued that sometimes traffickers, including some of those she represented in her past 10 years as a defense attorney, were diverted into treatment programs when they should instead be serving time.
“I’m definitely in favor of treatment if they’re ready for treatment,” said Iseri. “I don’t believe that those people should be entitled to treatment.”
Iseri advocated for harsher sentencing for drug traffickers, but, like Like, clarified the need to treat drug addicts differently.
Both candidates stressed the importance of establishing a drug treatment center on island.
Police relationship
Iseri, who is backed by the State of Hawai‘i Organization of Police Officers and received a $2,000 donation from the organization, has stressed her relationship with the Kaua‘i Police Department as a factor that sets her apart from her opponent.
“We had an excellent relationship with the police,” said Iseri, referring to her former term as prosecutor. “When we were there, there was a continual flow of officers coming in and out of the office.”
She criticized what she saw as a general lack of accessibility from Like’s office.
“My door is always open and Officers can call me day or night with questions,” Like said. “When any confusion or misunderstanding comes up, I do my best to meet face to face or have a conversation with the officer or chain of command. We may not always agree on certain policies, but it is rare that we cannot find common ground.”
Cash bail
Like, who has served as acting prosecutor since the abrupt retirement of predecessor Justin Kollar in September 2021, reported that her office had already made an effort to reduce reliance on cash bail.
“We routinely agree to supervised release for individuals who are determined to not be a flight risk and who do not present a risk of reoffending,” said Like. “We do our best to make sure those that are held pretrial at the jail present a threat to public safety.”
Though she shared some skepticism about the bail system, Iseri saw addressing this as largely the responsibility of a defense attorney and a judge.
“I think that the bail they ask for is ridiculous in some cases,” said Iseri. “What I see is that, if you’re a local person then your bail is higher than if you’re not a local person.”
“It’s not that I would keep the status quo, but it’s not the prosecutor’s office that’s making that determination,” said Iseri.
History
The two candidates have a long history, going back to when Like worked under Iseri during the latter’s term as prosecutor a decade ago.
In 2012, Like was one of six individuals to file civil lawsuits against her Iseri, claiming that Iseri retaliated against her because she failed to participate in her reelection campaign. This resulted in a $25,000 settlement.
While the settlements relieved Iseri of any liability, they cost the county a total of $1.6 million in payouts and legal defense fees.
Like has said that Iseri’s administration was “in a perpetual state of chaos,” while Iseri accused Like of being “lazy.”
During the December primary, just over 12,142 residents voted in this mail-in election, with Like getting 8,405 votes, over Iseri, who came in with 3,737.
Where to vote
Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Saturday. Ballot drop boxes can be found at kauai.gov/elections.
The Voter Service Center will be open Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the basement of the Historic County Annex Building in Lihu‘e. It will be open on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
The VSC offers accessible in-person voting and same-day registration and serves as a mail ballot collection site. Accessible in-person voting and same-day registration services are only for voters who have not yet returned a voted mail ballot or for unregistered individuals wishing to register and vote.
Voters at the VSC may also experience longer than desired wait times as only a limited number of voters will be allowed to enter the voting area at any given time. However, any voter in line at the time of closing will be allowed to vote.
For additional information, please contact the Elections Division of the Office of the County Clerk at (808) 241-4800.
