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Posted: Friday, August 24th, 2012 9:14 AM HST

State to monitor Big Island voting preparation

By Ken Hupp - 67AM KPUA News

Lieutenant Governor Brian Schatz says the governor's administration will monitor preparations in Hawai’i County before the November general election. At issue are 13 Big Island polling places that opened late on primary day, prompting Governor Neil Abercrombie to issue a proclamation to keep polls on the island open 90 minutes later. The state elections office has criticized County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi's leadership in conducting her first election, while Kawauchi countered that the state's response did not give her confidence in their partnership. The administration denied a request by Council Chairman Dominic Yagong to host a meeting during which he and Kawauchi could discuss preparations with the administration, state elections officials and the state Attorney General's Office. But in a statement Schatz said "We encourage Mr. Yagong and Ms. Kawauchi to work directly with the state Office of Elections and put all their focus on ensuring a smoothly run general election."