REGARDING ELECTIONS
Do you support comprehensive public funding of elections? Please explain why or why not?
We have passed legislation to allow the Hawaii County Council to pilot the public funding effort. Let’s see how that works out. I am open to further discussion once we see how well that effort turns out.
Do you have any concerns as to the possibility of voter disenfranchisement related to electronic voting device failure and/or the (in)adequacy of voting equipment and systems? If so, what are those concerns and what would you suggest to resolve the problem?
Voters are already “disenfranchised” to a degree since they are not showing up to vote even if they are already registered. We need to have confidence in the vote counting. We do not need to avoid electronic voting, but we do need enough audit trails to validate the results.
REGARDING RENEWABLE ENERGY
Do you support a tax or fee on oil or gasoline to promote renewable energy sources?
I did vote for the “Barrel Tax” last session. We need to invest in our energy infrastructure to allow more renewable energy for our state.
If not, in what other ways would you work to promote renewable energy resources?
[No response.]
REGARDING EQUAL RIGHTS
Do you support Civil Unions for same-sex couples as a step to full marriage equality? Why or why not?
I would support “a step” or steps for same-sex couples. Increases to Reciprocal Beneficiary laws could include steps I would support. However, HB444 goes all the way to same-sex marriage. I am in support of maintaining marriage for one man and one woman. In 1998, the seventy percent of voters in Hawaii voted to affirm traditional marriage. Apparently, results from a recent poll still show the same conclusion as sixty-six percent were opposed to same-sex marriage.
