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Posted: Wednesday, September 19th, 2012 9:15 AM HST

Elections commission frustrated by Big Island clerk

By Ken Hupp - 67AM KPUA News

Members of the State Elections Commission expressed frustration with troubled County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi at Tuesday’s monthly meeting as state elections officials made plans to send a key staffer back to the Big Island to help troubleshoot on Election Day. More than a dozen polling places opened late during last month’s primary, prompting Governor Neil Abercrombie to extend Big Island voting by an hour and a half and delaying statewide election returns. Kawauchi, who missed the August meeting was also absent from Tuesday’s gathering, which was attended by the other three county clerks. Commissioners said her absence shows a lack of interest on her part in getting training for herself or key staff after suffering big problems on primary day. State Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago said he will once again send Lori Tomczyk, the state's ballot operations section head, to Hilo to assist with the election. Tomczyk stepped in to help in the early morning hours of the Aug. 11 primary at the Hilo elections office, in a move elections officials said helped head off more delays on the Big Island.