Hawaii Elections Commission Votes McKay Interim Chair
The body convened after a five-month pause, with testifiers demanding the chief officer's removal and a new leader appointed.
By Neha Kapoor ·
The Hawaii Elections Commission gathered Thursday for its first session in nearly five months, acting under a directive from the state Supreme Court. The meeting followed a legal battle initiated by two commissioners who argued that election staff had blocked the scheduling of regular sessions. That standoff left the body without a permanent chair and without meetings during a critical part of the election cycle.
Testifiers spent the session pressing for the removal of Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago. S. Beth Cromrine told the commission, “I want the commission to remove Scott Nago.” Another testifier, Michelle Melendez, used stronger language. “Scott Nago should be arrested and removed from the island,” she said. Melendez also praised the commissioners who filed the lawsuit, calling the situation “absolutely disgusting.”
Republican state Rep. Kanani Souza joined the call for Nago's ouster. Souza recently won reelection after her primary tie was resolved by drawing an Easter egg from a lauhala basket, a process that also went to the Supreme Court. “There have been two adverse Supreme Court decisions and both in my opinion present cause to terminate Scott Nago,” Souza said.
Other attendees raised concerns about election integrity. They said staff had ignored their complaints. Former mixed martial arts champion BJ Penn testified about the timing of winner announcements. “It’s kind of like impersonating a public official when the news station announces the winner before the election office does it,” Penn said.
The commissioners selected Tamara McKay as the temporary chair. McKay served as the former state chair of the Hawaii GOP. She and Tamara Cuchnie were the two commissioners who filed the lawsuit that forced the current meeting. The previous leadership was divided along party lines, preventing a decision on a permanent head.
The commission plans to vote on Nago's position at its next meeting next Thursday. Nago was contacted for comment but did not respond.
