Synopsis: A non-response to a “yes” or “no” question on a ballot initiative should be considered a “non” vote, not a “no” vote.

Aloha mai nō kākou e nā hoa koho balota o kēia kau koho balota. Ua ‘ō’ili mai ma nā ke’ena koho balota ma kahi o ka hapalua wale nō (he 52.3 pakeneka) o ka po’e i kākau inoa. Inā ho’i e ho’opu’unaue ‘ia ka heluna o ka po’e mana koho a pau o kēia makahiki, ua hapa mai nō ia pākeneka. Ua ‘ike ‘ia kēia heluna, ‘o ia ka heluna ha’aha’a loa i ‘ike ‘ia ma Hawai’i nei.

‘A’ole kēia he ‘ōlelo ho’ohalahala i ka po’e nāna i ho’okē i ke koho ‘ana. Aia nō ia iā lākou. Ma Hawai’i nei, inā ua ho’o’eu’eu ‘ia ka po’e mana koho a māhuahua ka heluna, ‘o ia hopena like nō, no ka mea, he puni Kemokalaka ka po’e ‘one’i. Ma ‘Amelika na’e, ua ka’a aku nō ka mana i ka ‘ao’ao Lepupalika, a he nani ia ua ‘ike ‘ia kākou ma Hawai’i nei he po’e puni Kemokalaka, e noho ‘īnea mai ana nō paha kākou i loko o nā makahiki e hiki mai ana.

‘O kekahi mea ‘āpiki, ‘o ia ke ‘ano o ke koho ‘ana i nā nīnau ma kekahi ‘ao’ao aku o ka palapala koho. He “yes” a he “no” nā koho. He mau nīnau like ‘ole. Aia kekahi no ka ho’ohana ‘ana i nā kālā ‘auhau no ke kāko’o ‘ana i nā kula ha’aha’a kū’oko’a, a aia kekahi no ka ho’onui ‘ana i nā makahiki (mai ke 70 a ke 80) o ka luna kānāwai ma mua o kona ho’omaha ‘ia ‘ana, a aia nō kekahi mau nīnau hou aku. Eia ka mea ‘āpiki, ma ka heluhelu ‘ana i nā ‘ōkuhi ma luna o ka balota, ‘ike akula au e helu ‘ia ana ka nīnau i waiho hakahaka ‘ia he “no.” Pū’iwa ihola ka no’ono’o. Pehea lā e kaulike ai ia ‘ano helu ‘ana?

He mau kumu nō paha i waiho hakahaka ‘ia ai kekahi mau nīnau e nā mea koho. Mali’a ua pohihihi ke ‘ano o ka nīnau a ma kahi o ka pono koho wale aku, ua waiho wale ‘ia nā pahu me ke kaha ‘ole ‘ia. Mali’a ‘a’ole i ho’ohuli ‘ia ka palapala a nānā ‘ia ka ‘ao’ao ‘elua. Mali’a, he mea ‘ole ia mau nīnau i ka mea koho a ‘a’ole ‘o ia nānā i ka hopena. Mali’a, he mea ho’oluhi wale nō ia hana. He aha lā ke kumu, ua maopopo, ‘a’ole ‘o ia i koho i ka pahu “no.”

Ma Maui, i loko nō o ke ‘ano ‘āpiki o ia ‘ano helu ‘ana, ua puka mai ka ‘ao’ao kāko’o i ka hō’ole GMO. ‘Ae, ua puka mai i ka lanakila ka ‘ao’ao kāko’o i ka hō’ole. Ua ‘ano huikau nō kēia ‘ōlelo ‘ana!

Eia ke lohe ‘ia nei ka uē ‘ana a kekahi hapa o ka po’e o Maui a me ka ‘uī o ka niho. Ke wānana nei ho’i lākou i ke emi loa ‘ana o ke kālā o ka pō’aiawaiwai o ia mokupuni a me ka noho ‘īnea ‘ana o nā mahi’ai a me nā hui kāloa’a nāna e kauka’i i ia ‘ano hana. No laila, ma muli paha o ke komo ‘ana o ka menemene nui i loko o ka na’au o Monsanto, ke ho’opi’i nei lākou i kēia hopena i mua o ka hale ho’okolokolo.

‘Ano hoihoi ka helu ‘ia o nā balota i kaha ‘ole ‘ia ai kekahi pahu ma ke ‘ano he koho hō’ole. Ua ‘ano like me ke kanaka ki’i wahine. Inā ‘a’ole e hō’ole kēlā wahine i ia ki’i ‘ana, e mana’o ana kahi ‘u’a ua like kēlā me ka ‘ae. ‘Oiai aia ka ‘ike ‘ia o ka mana’o a ho’opuka ‘ia, ‘o ka mea noho mū, e waiho wale ‘ia.

This column is coordinated by Kawaihuelani Center for Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.