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Commission declines motions to remove chair and chief elections officer; formal-complaint debate continues
Summary
Two motions to remove the Elections Commission chair and to fire the chief elections officer failed after extended debate and heavy public testimony. Commissioners also considered, and in several cases rejected, proposals on complaint handling and unredacted communications.
The Hawaii State Elections Commission considered several formal complaints and motions seeking removal of senior officials but did not remove the chair or the chief elections officer.
Commissioner Dylan moved that Chair Mike Curtis be removed; the motion was seconded and debated at length. Commissioners voted; the motion failed. A separate motion to terminate Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago also failed on a roll call. The transcript records extended public comment calling for independent audits, for removal of leadership, and for greater transparency in complaint handling.
Earlier in the meeting Commissioner Ralph Cushni moved that the commission require the distribution of formal complaints and responses to all commissioners and make them available to the public unredacted. The commission considered whether attorney-client privilege justified some redactions; the deputy attorney general confirmed attorney-client privilege can apply to communications when legal advice is being sought. Commissioners voted on the unredacted-disclosure motion; it did not pass.
Commissioners also debated a separate motion on the formal complaints process (HAR 3-170) and whether complaints directed at individual commissioners should be answered directly by the chief elections officer or by the commission. A motion to have complaints distributed to every commissioner and made available to the public was proposed and voted down.
Public testimony at the meeting on the complaints agenda was extensive: speakers urged removal of senior officials, called for external, out-of-state audits and for a return to precinct-level paper ballots, or urged restraint and reliance on established procedures. The commission recorded the votes and directed that several items be carried forward for further staff follow-up.
