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STAR-ADVERTISER / SEPT. 2015
Grassroot Institute President and CEO Kelii Akina at his downtown office. Akina upset Office of Hawaiian Affairs veteran Haunani Apoliona for the OHA at large trustee seat in Tuesday’s General Election, according to final results released this morning.
Keli‘i Akina, president of the Grassroot Institute of Hawaii, upset Office of Hawaiian Affairs veteran Haunani Apoliona for the OHA at large trustee seat in Tuesday’s General Election, according to final results released this morning.
Akina garnered 163,699 votes, or 37.4 percent, to Apoliona’s 156,158, or 35.7 percent, with the remaining 26.9 percent not voting, after the last 9,000-plus votes were counted early today.
Akina waged a spirited campaign against Apoliona, who has served continuously on the board since first being elected in 1996.
It was Akina’s second campaign for OHA and he recognized the challenge of taking on a well-known incumbent. “Name recognition is a huge advantage for any candidate who has it, but we’ve made use of all forms of media to build our own name recognition,” he told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Tuesday night.
Akina was plaintiff in the lawsuit that wound up stopping the Na‘i Aupuni Hawaiian self-governance election, which he considered racially discriminatory. The institute he leads is devoted to individual liberty and limited government.
In the other OHA trustee race Tuesday, OHA Chairman Robert Lindsey defeated challenger Mililani Trask, 44.4 percent to 32.6 percent, according to final results.
Congratulations, Mr. Akina. It was time for new blood on OHA.
yup, we voted against the incumbants, now let’s Clean da Swamp!
The anti-Hawaiian candidate and corrupt OHA chairman won. Both have betrayed their own people and will continue to do so. OHA and DHHL should be dismantled already, neither is being used properly to better the lives of Hawaiians.
Dr. Akina,
You’ll do a great job and be a positive addition to the board.
Congrats to you and all your hard work!
Imua
Akina is the trump of the Hawaiian people. Arrogant and self righteous.
Just like when the Dems should have supported Bernie instead of Hillary, Haunani should have stepped down so another candidate could have beaten Akina. With his Coconut views(brown on the outside and white on the inside) OHA will be a mess. This is what happens when White-lash happens in Hawaii, office for Hawaiians goes to people against Hawaiians. Hatred has won out on this last election.
Very glad Akina won. Apoliona was there too long and was compromised. Kind of like Crooked Caldwell. She is on the board for the Bank of Hawaii. A clear conflict of interest.
No doubt, she was given the position with the bank only because she was an OHA trustee. Unfortunate that Mililani Trask was not able to unseat trustee Robert Lindsey who also
needs to go.