A Star-Bulletin editorial today calls for removing two candidates who reportedly were allowed to complete their nomination papers after the filing deadline. The editorial names Kirk Caldwell, who filed to run for the City Council seat vacated by Ann Kobayashi, and Chrystn Eads, who filed for Caldwell’s House seat. According to published accounts, Caldwell’s petition was found to be one valid signature short after it was filed, and a elections worker who lived in the district was allowed to add his signature. Eads missed the deadline but was allowed to submit her petition anyway.

In Caldwell’s case, it appears that adding a signature after the papers were filed could constitute tampering with an official document. In Eads case, if it is true that it was accepted late, did an official incorrectly record the time the completed form was received?

Here’s a link to the election office’s instructions to candidates on filing their papers.

If there were administrative irregularities–altering a petition after filing or improperly accepting a petition after the deadline–can the chief election officer take administrative action on his own authority? The instructions seem clear. A challenge can be brought by any voter, a party, or the chief election officer or city/county clerk.

Objection or challenge of a candidate may be made by a registered voter, an officer of a
political party, the Chief Election Officer, or the City/County Clerk in the case of county elections. Except for objections filed by an officer of a political party, all objections or challenges must be in writing and received by the Chief Election Officer or the appropriate City/County Clerk by 4:30 p.m. on the thirtieth day prior to the election or the next earliest working day if that day is a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday. Objections filed by an officer of a political party must be filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court by the thirtieth day prior to the election or the next earliest working day if that day is a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday.

Who will file the challenges in this case? The Republican Party seems likely to challenge Eads, since it would leave their candidate unopposed in Caldwell’s former district, which has been a Democratic stronghold, and Bainum has a clear reason to challenge Caldwell’s nomination.

It seems like a shame, since both races would be very interesting.

Bad news about layoffs at Maui Land & Pine, with ominous implications for the state as a whole. This from this morning’s Advertiser:

William Kennison, ILWU Local 142 Maui Division director, said late yesterday afternoon he did not know how many union workers will be affected. Union leaders were to meet with company officials this morning.

“It’s a bad situation with the way the economy is going and with fewer tourists coming over. It’s really taking a toll,” Kennison said. “You have this many layoffs and there are not many jobs to be found right now. We just went through the Molokai Ranch closing.”

Kennison said he fears that things could get worse on Maui.

“When we had 9/11 the economy went down and tourism went down, but we could see the light at the end of the tunnel and there were things that could be done about it,” he said. “This is different. Unless fuel costs come down, there’s nothing we can do about it. We’re in a real rough spot right now.”

Larry Geller dragged me into yesterday afternoon’s Town Square on Hawaii Public Radio with Beth-Ann Kozlovich for a show on the future of newspapers, although I’m physically in California right now. An unexplained phone meltdown at the station made for a bit of excitement. In the end, after being cut off at least a half-dozen times, I was able to take part but the tradeoff was that listeners couldn’t call in.

Also on the program were the Hawaii Newspaper Guild’s Wayne Cahill and former reporter Crystal Kua, now director of communications for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs. Another former reporter turned prof, Gerry Kato, also joined the program by phone.

At one point we were talking about the idea that consumer demand is behind the media’s “dumbing down” to entertainment rather than hard news, and I threw out the term “Jack in the Box journalism”. It occurred to me that consumer demand for soft (and cheap) news isn’t “natural”, but is created and driven by massive corporate marketing and manufactured opinion, in the same way that the demand for unhealthy fast food (and the resulting national epidemic of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc) is driven by corporate marketing, as well as by the government’s failure to allocate health costs to the fast food industry. Hey, order large, get fat, die early! We make money, public pays the bills. Da Best!

I imagine the podcast of the program will be available at some point. Hopefully Larry will let us know.

For this Feline Friday, I dredged up this little video of our recent adventure with a bit of boiled fish. Six of the nine cats showed up for the handouts.

Just click on this photo of Leo sitting on the hot stove. His spot was within inches of the recently used burner, so I had to quickly lure him (and the others) off the stove. That’s a show in itself.