HONOLULU – A group of 35 Oahu residents is asking the state Supreme Court to invalidate a City Charter amendment approved this month.
Thomas Grande, the group’s attorney, said the complaint centers on the wording of the ballot question. The amendment asked voters if the number of signatures required for recall and initiatives should be based on “total number of registered voters” rather than “total votes cast.”
Grande said the question is unclear and misleading. The complaint asks the Supreme Court to declare the amendment invalid.
“What the amendment really does is increase the number of signatures required for recall petitions, for initiative petitions and for petitions to amend the charter,” Grande said during a news conference yesterday. “We believe the Charter Commission should have specified that it was an increase in signatures that was the effect of this amendment.”
Mike Wilson, a Honolulu attorney and former mayoral candidate, is among residents filing the complaint.