Every Sunday, “Back in the Day” looks at an article that ran on this date in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. The items are verbatim, so don’t blame us today for yesteryear’s bad grammar
The name of Lawrence V. Domine has been added to the State’s general election ballots, and the 33-year-old non-partisan candidate says he will battle it out for a U.S. Senate seat.
Domine is a political beneficiary of a State Supreme Court ruling last week that candidates do not have to declare party affiliation to get their names on the ballot.
In the basement of Iolani Palace yesterday workers were busy stamping Domine’s name onto the ballots under the names of Republican Sen. Hiram L. Fong and the Democratic challenger, Rep. Thomas P. Gill.
"I am in this race and I will present to the populace a truly independent program of action," Domine said yesterday.
"The Hawaii October primary has indicated the gradual demise of the two-party system. When one of the parties could not muster enough of its members to campaign for various offices it, by default, laid the ground for the burial of the two-party system in Hawaii."
Domine is a substitute teacher with the State Department of Education and lives at 1644-A Kalakaua Ave.
He is employed by the E.E. Black Co. as an accounting department worker and was married five weeks ago.
Commenting on the Supreme Court ruling on non-partisan candidates, Domine said: "It is indeed a most welcome statement of support in this contention regarding civil rights and civil liberty.
"It is heartening that the State Supreme Court could indirectly support my candidacy for office as senator …
"Because the Lieutenant Governor’s office has somewhat belatedly recognized the right of non-partisan candidates to run for office, I am faced with the challenge of presenting to the electorate of this State a program, and to do it in about 10 days. It is a tremendous challenge.
"With less than 10 days to effectively campaign, I must rely upon mass media communications organizations to assist me with my presentation. I must also appeal to the sense of decency, fair play, and right action which is part of the American way of life in every voter to properly consider my actions in the next several days."
