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Sunday’s headline story was about fears of voter apathy. If anyone you know is not registered or not voting, ask them what they would do if they couldn’t vote for governor for most of their adult life?
During territorial status 1901 until statehood in 1959, Hawaii citizens could not vote for governor. The sitting U.S. president appointed the governor without a referendum or other reference to residents’ wishes. The governor did not need to be a Hawaii resident when appointed. It was so frustrating that when a governor-to-be asked to become a member of Elks Lodge, the minutes of the meeting noted it as the first time that the territory’s governor had been elected, not selected.
You have a right to elect persons to all offices on the ballot. Do what residents could not do for more than 50 years.
Anita Manning
Waipahu
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