ILWU members in the 2nd Congressional District are urged to vote for John F. Mink, who is running on November 30, 2002, in a special election to serve out the remainder of Patsy Mink’s term of office. The winner of that election will take Patsy’s place in the U.S. House of Representatives until January 2003, when a new term of office begins.

A second special election is scheduled for January 4, 2003, to decide who will serve the next two-year term and represent Hawaii in the U.S. Congress. The 2nd Congressional District includes rural Oahu and the Neighbor Islands.

The ILWU took action to endorse and support John Mink at the October 21, 2002, meeting of the Local Political Action Committee. John Mink, who was married to Patsy since 1951, is the ideal person to complete Patsy’s term as he is thoroughly familiar with her work and knows the people who staff both her Washington and Honolulu congressional offices. John also served for many years as Patsy’s campaign manager and treasurer.

Patsy passed away on September 28, 2002, after losing a month-long battle against chicken-pox and viral pneumonia. Patsy spent her lifetime in political service fighting for equal rights and opportunities for women and minorities. Her groundbreaking work on Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 banned sex discrimination in schools. This removed barriers and opened up new opportunities for women in academics and intercollegiate sports. Schools were now prohibited from refusing to admit women or limiting the number of women admitted to higher degree programs. Title IX also required equity of treatment and opportunity in athletic programs, which led to the tremendous growth of women’s sports programs.

Easier to vote by mail

The easiest way to vote in these special elections is by mail with an absentee ballot. You simply submit an “Application for Absentee Ballot” to your local City or County Clerk before the Nov. 22 deadline. You will receive a ballot by mail, which you must return by mail in time for the clerk to receive your ballot before the close of the polls on November 30.

For your convenience, the ILWU will be mailing application forms to members who are registered to vote in the 2nd Congressional District.

You can also download your ballot application from http:// www.state.hi.us/elections, or pick up forms at any Public Library, Post Office, Satellite City Halls, City or County Clerks offices and State Agencies.

Next ILWU Local Executive Board Meeting: December 19-20, 2002 • 10:00 a.m. • 451 Atkinson Drive, Honolulu HI 96814