Fall 1990 Home   Newsletters

Winter 1991

Spring 1991

President's Message (Sandra Duckworth)
Board Highlights
Hospitality Needed
Call to Convention
Non-Partisan Facts Explored
League Leaders Listed
Juvenile Justice Position Reviewed (Catherine Tignac)
Reapportionment: The Drama Begins (Anna Lee)
League Unveils Juvenile Justice Position
Action Ahead on Public Education (Marion Saunders)
Legislative Access Reported (Debbie Kimball)
Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) (Debbie Kimball)
League Appreciates these Companies

Reapportionment: The Drama Begins

Nineteen ninety-one is the year of reapportionment and the State League is gearing up to watch what is likely to be a lively drama.

Ten years ago, LWV of Hawaii was deeply involved in the state's reapportionment by monitoring the process and taking part in a law suit against the state. And. WE won. And it is no understatement to say that our winning points turned the state up-side-down. Committee members still get fits of giggles just thinking about the fun we had ... some of them even say they never had such a good time either before or since.

According to our state constitution, the bi-partisan Reapportionment Commission must be appointed by March 1 of 1991. Once these eight members agree on the ninth (their Chairperson), the action begins.

The Commission is responsible for drawing new state legislative and congressional districts to reflect changes in population throughout our state. Some lines may change a great deal, others perhaps just a little. We need to be there to watch what happens.

Based on the long held League position supporting the one person-one vote principle, League argued that using the numbers of registered voters for state legislative districts (as required by the state constitution) and congressional districts (as required by statute) was an unconstitutional violation of one person-one vote. The federal district court agreed with us.

But since constitutional amendments changing these provisions to bring them in conformity with federal court rulings failed twice (in the 1988 and 1990 elections) and because the Legislature has not changed the statute, these legally vulnerable provisions still stand.

Will the Commission ignore the federal guidelines as determined by the courts and thus invite a legal challenge? To be a part of this drama, please join the State League's Reapportionment Committee. We plan on an introductory briefing meeting late in January with future meetings as needed.

Anna Lee

To join the
League of Women Voters of Hawaii's
Reapportionment Committee
call or write
Anne F. Lee

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