Lingle picks Carroll to fill House seat

The Honolulu Advertiser
Saturday, February 5, 2005

Advertiser Staff

Gov. Linda Lingle yesterday appointed D. Mele Carroll to fill the vacant House District 13 seat, which covers East Maui, Lana'i and Moloka'i. Carroll will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Sol Kaho'ohalahala.

"After conducting an open search for eligible candidates who were willing to serve the people of District 13 and our state, I am today appointing Mele Carroll to the House of Representatives," said Lingle in a statement released by her office.

Carroll serves as executive assistant and chief legislative liaison to Maui Mayor Alan Ara-kawa, concentrating on East Maui, Lana'i and Moloka'i issues. She also serves at the substance abuse and drug abuse liaison for Maui County and focuses on health-related issues. As Mayor Arakawa's chief legislative liaison, Carroll serves as the mayor's representative at the Legislature, at the Maui County Council and with the Lingle-Aiona administration.

Before joining the mayor's office, Carroll was chief of staff for Sen. Kalani English, D-6th (E. Maui, Lana'i and Moloka'i), and also served as his chief of staff when he was on the Maui County Council.

Kaho'ohalahala submitted his resignation on Jan. 6, according to the governor's statement, and applicants submitted their resumés, which were reviewed by a bipartisan screening panel.

The panel included former Maui Mayor James "Kimo" Apana, chairman, Maui County Democratic Party; Sen. Rosalyn Baker, D-5th (W. Maui, S. Maui); Nelson Befitel, director, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, and a native of Moloka'i; Shay Chan Hodges, chair, District 13, Democratic Party; Georgina Kawamura, state budget and finance director and native of Lana'i; and George Kaya, the governor's Maui liaison.

Five candidates were found to meet the core eligibility requirements, including being a U.S. citizen, a state resident for not less than three years and at least 18 years of age, a qualified voter of the 13th House District, and a member of the Hawai'i Democratic Party.

The five were interviewed by a three-member panel made up of Bob Awana, the governor's chief of staff; Sen. Les Ihara, D-9th (St. Louis Heights, Palolo Valley, Kaimuki, Kapahulu); and Linda Smith, the governor's senior policy adviser.

© COPYRIGHT 2005 The Honolulu Advertiser, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

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