Candidate filing period put on hold due to lawsuit over redrawn voter maps
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The state Supreme Court is putting the upcoming candidate filing period for this year’s election on hold because of a lawsuit over the new voting maps.
Eleven residents filed suit claiming the Reapportionment Commission ignored the public’s suggestions to keep districts grouped together as the constitution recommends.
Instead, the commission’s new maps have many House districts crisscrossing Senate and congressional districts and sprawling across diverse regions.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- State approves redrawing of election maps based on new demographics
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“The reapportionment commission unconstitutionally delegated its restricting responsibility and duties to this powerful and secretive group of four commissioners who drew the maps behind closed doors without adequately explaining the reasons for not following Hawaii law or the constitution,” said Attorney Mateo Caballero.
The redrawn maps has raised concerns among some residents.
“It started off with a fear that our Native Hawaiian community would be submerged into these realms and it has grown into a concern that we all deserve equal representation,” said Kimeona Kane, a Waimanalo resident.
The high court is now giving the state until March 3 to respond to the lawsuit’s demand that the maps be redrawn.
In the meantime, Hawaii’s candidate filing period, which was set to begin next week is now postponed, with no start date.
The Reapportionment Commission did not respond to a request for comment.
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