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Posted: Tuesday, September 25th, 2012 9:14 AM HST

Hawaii County gets new elections administrator

By Associated Press

HILO, Hawaii (AP) — Hawaii County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi says an elections specialist from her office will be filling in temporarily as elections administrator. Kawauchi said Monday Elizabeth Lehua Iopa has the support of the clerk's office and elections division staff. Iopa has worked for the division since 2008. The division has been without an administrator since an investigation found alcohol and privately owned sign-making equipment in an elections warehouse. Two employees fired as a result were reinstated to their positions after union grievance hearings but neither has returned. The two workers are suing the county, Kawauchi, the county council chairman and a county-contracted private investigator for defamation. In August, the county clerk's office came under fire for opening a dozen polling places late on the day of the primary election.