Court denies appeal in election case
HONOLULU - A federal appeals court Monday dismissed an appeal about whether a vote seen as a step toward self-governance for Native Hawaiians should be open only to Native Hawaiians or to all of the state's registered voters, saying that the issue does not merit consideration because the U.S. Supreme Court issued an injunction against such a vote.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also said it was dismissing the appeal because the Nai Aupuni group of Native Hawaiians dissolved in April. The group did not want non-Native Hawaiians to elect 40 delegates to draft a self-governance document.
Kelii Akina, who was among those saying it wasn't right for non-Native Hawaiians to be excluded from the vote, said that he and the other plaintiffs were reviewing the appeals court decision to determine whether they would take additional legal steps.
The appeals court cited the Supreme Court's December decision halting the vote and said it is possible that another Hawaii-based group may try to hold an election toward self-governance in the future.
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