Key areas of Hawaii Kai would be pulled out of the district under the new voting card plan

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Controversy over the state’s proposed voter redistribution plan has now shifted to Hawaii Kai.

Community leaders are upset with the only high school in the area and more could be moved to another district.

The new line brings half of the Peninsula row house complex together with Kaiser High School, Koko Head Elementary, Koko Marina Shopping Center and the Hawaii Kai Fire Station to the Windward District.

Voting cards are re-issued every 10 years.

Hawaii Kai Realtor Mariliz Reilly has a son with Kaiser and is concerned about a weakened voice in the state legislature for many Hawaii Kai residents who would no longer have a roommate to represent the state.

“I was shocked. As a lifelong Hawaiian born and raised Kai, what do you mean that half of our community will have no voice on issues that concern us all?” Said Reilly.

“How do we sell a couple a house on the peninsula and tell them they really are in Waimanalo,” she added.

The Kaiwi Coast, which the residents of Hawaii Kai fought to preserve, would also be included in the new district. Three neighborhood councils, Hawaii Kai, Waimanalo, and Kailua, voted against the plan.

“This is a disaster,” said Roberta Mayor, Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board Chair.

The commission plan mixes up East and Windward Oahu as it spits out Hawaii Kai, so residents propose an alternate map called the Hicks Plan that keeps Hawaii Kai in one district.

The Hicks plans show that we can preserve Makapuu as a historic natural geographic boundary between the counties, “said the mayor.

“The proposal aims to separate large parts of Hawaii into Windward District, and nonsensically, Kaiser High School, the community’s flagship school, will also be moved to Windward Housing District,” she added.

At their last meeting, the Redistribution Commission Chairs said this was just the beginning of the process and are soliciting public contributions.

“It’s not a closed deal. That is definitely not the case and there were changes 10 years ago and 20 years ago, after the public consultation process. We have to go public with something, ”said Dylan Nonaka, member of the reallocation commission.

The Reallocation Commission has scheduled an upcoming Zoom meeting for the East Honolulu area on December 4th at 2pm. Take part by clicking here.

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