By Richard Borreca

   Attorney General Mark Bennett becomes acting Governor tomorrow as both Gov. Linda Lingle and Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona leave the state for tourist promotion travel in Asia.

It is not known if Bennett will again seize the opportunity to convert Hawaii into an outpost of for the New York Yankees.

In 2004, when Lingle and Aiona went the Republican National Convention in New York  and Bennett was acting Governor, he proclaimed Sept. 1st as Hawaii – New York Yankee Day.

The proclamation attracted the attention of Joe Torre, who at the time was the Yankee’s manager. Torre lives part of the year on Maui and he thanked Bennett, a former New Yorker for the honor.

“Hawaii does my heart good,” Torre said at the time. “That’s a connection I’ll always have.”

Lt. Gov. Aiona returns to Hawaii Nov. 18 and Lingle is back on Nov. 22.

By Laurie Au

The sign outside local clothing store, Butigroove, should now say “Barry in the White House!”

For months, Butigroove, located at the corner of Piikoi and Mokumoa streets near Ala Moana Shopping Center, has been selling Sen. Barack Obama apparel with a local twist featuring phrases like, “Obama Ohana.”

^^Hawaiian Obama shirts are the most popular items selling at Butigroove for about $20 each.

^^Hawaii residents love local flair. “Vote Uncle Barry”

Cashier Amber Boll, 17, said this afternoon that crowds of Hawaii residents were lining up to buy shirts and stickers several days leading up to the Nov. 4 historic election. Now that Obama’s been elected, even more are flocking to the store.

“It’s crazier than ever,” Boll said.

By Laurie Au

Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who won re-election this week, left yesterday for American Samoa to visit his mother’s grave.

^^A young Hannemann with his parents. Photo courtesy of Hannemann campaign.

Hannemann visits the graves of his parents after every significant event in his life. He visited his father’s grave in Laie earlier this week.

In his speeches, Hannemann frequently mentions his father, Gustav, and mother, Faiaso, and his experience growing up in Kalihi.

Hannemann will return to Oahu Sunday.

By Richard Borreca

Here’s the new state Senate lineup. Sen. Colleen Hanabusa remains Senate President and Sen. Roz Baker lost the Ways and Means chairmanship to longtime Honolulu public official, Donna Mercado Kim.

STATE SENATE ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP AND

COMMITTEE CHAIRS FOR 2009 LEGISLATIVE SESSION

            HONOLULU – The Hawai‘i State Senate today announced its leadership and committee chair assignments for the 2009 Legislative Session.

Leadership:

President: Colleen Hanabusa

Vice President: Russell Kokubun

Majority Leader: Gary Hooser

Majority Technology Leader: David Ige

Majority Floor Leader: Norman Sakamoto

Majority Caucus Leader: Shan Tsutsui

Majority Policy Leader: Les Ihara, Jr.

Majority Whip: Jill Tokuda

Majority Whip: Suzanne Chun Oakland

Committee Chairs:

Ways and Means: Donna Mercado Kim

Vice-chair: Shan Tsutsui

Judiciary and Government Operations: Brian Taniguchi
Consumer Protection: Roz Baker

Education and Housing: Norman Sakamoto

Vice-chair: Michele Kidani

Higher Education: Jill Tokuda

Water, Land, Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs: Clayton Hee

Economic Development and Technology: Carol Fukunaga

Labor: Dwight Takamine

Health: David Ige

Vice-chair: Josh Green

Human Services: Suzanne Chun Oakland

Transportation, International and Intergovernmental Affairs: J. Kalani English

Energy and Environment: Mike Gabbard

Public Safety and Military Affairs: Will Espero

Tourism: Clarence Nishihara

Vice-chair: Brickwood Galuteria

“These new assignments allow us to make the best use of the Senators’ talents, while also permitting them to serve in areas where they have existing skills and interests,” said Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, who will begin her third session as President. “We are particularly proud that each of our incoming Senators will serve as a vice-chair, to give them a chance to get a solid grounding in the committee process. The one exception is incoming Senator Dwight Takamine. Given his long service in the House, we think he’s prepared to chair his own committee, Labor.”

“We’ve also created a new position in leadership for a Majority Technology Leader, which will be filled by Senator David Ige,” Hanabusa continued. “Senator Ige has led past technology initiatives, including our paperless project and network upgrades, so we’re looking forward to calling on his expertise as we move forward.”

Senator Russell Kokubun takes over as Senate Vice President, a position formerly held by Senator Donna Mercado Kim. The Vice President is responsible for Senate operations. “I look forward to this new opportunity,” said Senator Kokubun. “It’s quite a challenge. In light of our state’s economic situation, the Senate is instituting a four percent budget reduction. We’ll be looking for some new efficiencies and doing more with less, but everyone I’ve talked to in the Senate is ready to do their part.”

Senator Donna Mercado Kim assumes the chair of the Ways and Means Committee, with Senator Shan Tsutsui continuing as vice-chair. “We’re all aware that state revenues are falling,” said Kim, “and that’s going to have to be reflected in our state budget. But I’m looking forward to the challenge of working within our priorities to make the best use of our tax dollars.”

Former Ways and Means chair Roz Baker will now head the Senate’s Consumer Protection Committee. “This will allow me to focus on growing our local economy and looking after consumers’ concerns at this critical juncture, as well as helping business,” said Baker. “While I enjoyed chairing WAM, I think Senator Kim is capable of managing our state finances and I am happy to direct my efforts at creating new opportunities and building a stronger future for our state.”

With leadership and committee chairs in place, the Senate Majority will begin the process of developing a Majority Package of legislation for the upcoming session.

###

By B.J. Reyes

This is probably a day late, but I wanted to post it as a “thank you” to the students at Hawaii Pacific University who took the time to talk to me while I set up there for the Political Radar Election Day live blog.

In addition to asking the students who they voted for — all but one were Barack Obama supporters — I also askedthem what they thought of the role that young voters would have in this election. (Admittedly, I stole this idea from CNN, which had two members of “Twitter Generation” on the set to discuss the issue of young voters during the early portion of election coverage.)

Much was made of how both campaigns had courted youth voters. In turn, young voters got involved in the election process like never before, utilizing social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, as well as new media tools like text messaging to help get out the vote.

To the students in the Sea Warrior Center, I asked: What role do you think younger voters like yourself will have in this election?

Many thanks to the students who appear in the video below, and also to Josh Friednash, who helped wrangle up the interview subjects. His interview was posted in yesterday’s live blog, along with an interview of another student, Dani McClister.

Click here to see the video.

By Laurie Au

An excerpt of Hawaii-born Sen. Barack Obama’s victory speech at Grant Park in Chicago last night:

“And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.”

And Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s speech from the Dole Cannery Ballroom in Kalihi several hours later:

“I want to extend my hand out to all of those who voted for Ann and all of those who voted for someone else in the primary because if we can come together, good things can happen,” Hannemann continued. “I want to give them the opportunity to earn their trust, their respect and their support because there are many challenges the city faces. Let’s set aside our differences. Let’s do what’s best for the people of Hawaii.”

By B.J. Reyes

There is still one more printout expected before the night is done.

From reporter Craig Gima at the Election Center at the state Capitol:

Chief Elections Officer Kevin Cronin said the three missing memory cards have been located and are being brought in to be counted. Cronin said he is hopeful that they should be in the 11 p.m. printout.

In this election, like past elections, poll workers have left the memory cards in the counting machines and officials have had to track them down and, in some cases, call in custodians or principals to re-open the polling place so the cards can be removed.

The check on this is the paper ballots, which can be audited to make sure the results match.

The counting of the votes on the three cards is not expected to alter any results.

By B.J. Reyes

The “Obama Effect” — a high turnout from Democratic voters casting their ballot for Hawaii-born presidential candidate Barack Obama — appears to have worked in favor of local Democrats.

That’s how it looks with the third printout from the state Office of Elections. (Almost 300,000 voters turned out to cast their ballots for Obama)

The state Senate is down to just two Republicans, after former Democratic Party Chairman Brickwood Galuteria defeated incumbent Sen. Gordon Trimble for the Waikiki-Ala Moana Senate District. Galuteria won 5,506 votes to 4,977, with all precincts counted. With Big Island Sen. Paul Whalen’s decision to not seek re-election, that leaves the state GOP with just Sens. Fred Hemmings and Sam Slom in the senior chamber.

In the state House, longtime Rep. Colleen Meyer has lost to newcomer Jessica Wooley, 4,532 votes to 4,098.

Perhaps the biggest upset was in the 51st House House District (Lanikai-Waimanalo), where upstart Chris Lee topped well-funded former House Minority Leader Quentin Kawananakoa, 5,410 votes to 3,105. Many had seen that race as the ultimate test of grassroots organizing versus political money. Lee made a name for himself working tirelessly sign-waving and canvassing the neighborhood.

There were no other surprises in the Legislature. All other incumbents held on to their seats and Democrats picked up all of  the remaining vacant seats. That gives Democrats three additional seats and an even heftier majority in both chambers: 23-2 in the Senate and 45-6 in the House.

The Honolulu mayor’s race remained unchanged from the second printout as Mufi Hannemann maintained his margin and defeated Ann Kobayashi, 155,221 votes to 112,001.

The Honolulu City Charter amendment for a steel-on-steel rail transit system supported by Hannemann also won out, 140,152 votes to 125,360.

Meanwhile, the statewide initiative to hold a 2010 Constitutional Convention failed, 258,304 votes to 140,728, with 18,953 blank votes (which are counted as “no” votes). A group called the Hawaii Alliance, funded heavily by the mainland-based National Education Association,spent more than $500,000 to lobby against the Con Con.

This from reporter Craig Gima covering the state Election Center at the Capitol:

Even though the third printout shows all or nearly all precincts reporting, there are still some votes cast today still to be counted and “several thousand” absentee mail-in ballots being processed, officials said.

The mail-in ballots were received today and have to verified and counted. That’s generally the reason why the final printout with 100 percent of the vote isn’t released until early in the morning.

Elections officials also were trying to track down three memory cards from voting today. Two eScan cards from precincts 49-02 and 50-03 have yet to be counted. A third eSlate card from precinct 19-03 is also yet to be counted. None of the precincts involve a close race. Two precincts have no general election race and in the third, 19-03, state Rep. Barbara Marumoto has a comfortable lead.

By B.J. Reyes

Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann enjoys a comfortable lead in his race for re-election, while the gap has closed on a City Charter amendment for the steel-on-steel rail transit system that he strongly favors, according to the second printout released by the state Office of Elections.

Hannemann leads City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi 55.6 percent to 41.3 percent.

Meanwhile, approval of a steel-on-steel rail transit system is being supported by 50.2 percent of voters, compared to 46 percent, with 78 of 212 precincts reporting. Support for the rail system was leading 53 percent to 47 percent after the first printout.

In the local races, Democratic Party officials in Hawaii had been hopeful for high turnout in support of Barack Obama translating to support for Democratic candidates locally. After the second printout it seems that hope may have come to fruition.

One of the biggest upsets could be brewing in the 51st House District, Lanikai-Waimanalo, where Democratic newcomer Chris Lee has a sizable lead over well-funded former House Minority Leader Quentin Kawananakoa. Lee has almost twice as many votes, 3,572 to 1,713 with four of seven precincts counted. The winner succeeds Democrat Tommy Waters, who chose not to seek re-election.

In the Laie-Kahuku House District, longtime Republican incumbent Rep. Colleen Meyer is losing to challenger Jessica Wooley, 1,589 votes to 1,290 votes with two of six precincts counted.

And in the state Senate district representing Waikiki-Ala Moana, former Democratic Party Chairman and television personality Brickwood Galuteria leads incumbent GOP Sen. Gordon Trimble, 3,581 votes to 3,237 votes withsix of nine precincts counted.

From reporter Craig Gima: Office of Elections spokesman Rex Quidilla says a third printout scheduled for release at 9:30 p.m. will include 96 percent of the vote.

From reporter Rob Shikina who was at Kobayashi headquarters:

Kobayashi showed up at 8:15 to a standing ovation. She made the rounds in a blue blazer and dark blue slacks, giving hugs while covered in lei. She made her rounds with the media on a platform in the back of the room, while at the same time, a group was line dancing on the other side of the room.

“Ann is number one,” some supporters shouted.

“We still have a lot of optimism,” Susan Kobayashi, Kobayashi’s daughter, said just recently. She heard that the second printout was only a third of the vote and contains a lot of voters that didn’t have the information from the draft environmental impact statement on the city’s proposed rail project.

“The reason why my mom ran was to get the truth out,” she said. “She’s definately accomplished that.”

By B.J. Reyes

It’s an update from a Hawaii resident in New York City on this historic night.

Bernie Caalim, a senior vice president with McNeil Wilson Communications, sent this dispatch from New York using his iPhone:

It’s crazy here in the heart of NYC —the cheers were vibrating thru the glass windows of my 40th floor room at 11 pm.  So I went downstairs to Times Square and the screams, chants and cheers for Obama — just electrifying. Obama’s gearing up for his acceptance speech. Gotta go.