Hawaii Supreme Court Rules Incumbent Maui Councilwoman Alice Lee Won Seat - Honolulu Civil Beat

Hawaii Supreme Court Rules Incumbent Maui Councilwoman Alice Lee Won Seat

Her opponent Noelani Ahia had filed a lawsuit challenging the election.
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The fight over a major Maui County Council seat is over.

The justices have ruled that incumbent Maui council member Alice Lee did win her seat in November’s General Election.

MPD Chief Swearing in
The Hawaii Supreme Court has ruled that Alice Lee won her Maui County Council seat. Ludwig Laab/Civil Beat/2021

The state Supreme Court heard oral arguments regarding the battle for the Wailuku-Waihee-Waikapu-seat on Thursday.

Her opponent Noelani Ahia filed a lawsuit following the election, claiming the Maui County Clerk mishandled hundreds of ballots.

Ahia alleged that they did not give hundred of voters enough time to fix their deficient ballots.

The higher court agreed with Ahia that the clerk waited too long — just 4 days before the deadline — to notify nearly 200 voters about their ballots.

However, according to court documents the justices said any mistake by the clerk “would not change the outcome of the election.”

It was determined Lee won the majority of votes cast, beating Ahia by approximately 500 votes.

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