Reapportionment Panel Completes Map Quest
03/08/2012
Hawaii Office of Elections
Carolyn Haley, a network computing consultant, took off from work Thursday afternoon to go to the state Capitol to testify.
Haley, a Kapahulu resident, learned only Wednesday that her state House representative would no longer represent her — something Haley wasn't happy about.
"What were you thinking?" she asked the 2011 Reapportionment Commission. "Can you fix this so we can keep Scott? We've had him since 2002, and he's the best representative we've ever had."
After Haley testified, she received a single question from the commission.
"Scott who?" asked Harold Masumoto.
"Scott Nishimoto," Haley replied. "District 21."
You can't blame Masumoto for asking the question. The commission was dealing with its third set of maps in just two months, and it can be difficult to keep track of all the changes.
On Thursday, the commission unanimously approved the third — now final — set of maps.
It's the set that forces two incumbent Oahu senators to potentially run against each other this year. It requires the same of five sets of Oahu incumbents — they include Scott Nishimoto against Scott Saiki — in the House and another pair on the Big Island.
"You do the best you can with what you have," said commission chair Victoria Marks. "Quite frankly, I am very proud of my fellow commissioners. ... They listend to everyone. Certainly, not everyone is happy, but that's just where the chips fall. The maps are as good as they are going to get."
