Hawaii can't afford Congressional election

Hawaii can't afford Congressional election

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Cash-strapped Hawaii can't afford to pay for an election to replace a congressman who is planning to step down next month to run for governor, potentially leaving 600,000 urban Honolulu residents without representation in Washington.

Budget cuts have left the state Office of Elections with about $5,000 to last until July, with a special election costing nearly $1 million, interim Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago said.

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Well isn't this interesting. Poor Hawaii is going to go without representation for how long before they scrounge up the funds for such a thing?

I think that both parties should fork up some cash from the election campaign of '08. This is just ridiculously wrong.

Any thoughts ATS?

~Keeper

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Originally posted by tothetenthpower


Any thoughts ATS?

~Keeper

hosted.ap.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

Not really, I think you did a great job offering a solution.
Perhaps elections should be run by volunteers.

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, a Democrat, announced last week he will resign Feb. 28 after 19 years so he can dedicate his time to the gubernatorial race. His two-year term was set to expire in January 2011.

Seems to me that since it costs so much to hold a special election then the candidate leaving by his own volition, should bear most of the cost. The state of Hawaii elected him to serve until 2011 but because he wants to do something else he decides to quit, leaving his state to foot a bill of $1 million? How much do you want to bet that if they told him he would have to pay some of it, he would either raise the money or stay until the regular election in the Fall?