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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, May 24, 2010

Djou to be sworn in tomorrow



Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Congressman-elect Charles Djou resigned his city council seat this morning and will travel to Washington, D.C., later today. He is scheduled to be sworn in as a member of Congress tomorrow.

BRUCE ASATO | The Honolulu Advertiser

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Congressman-elect Charles Djou bid farewell to his Honolulu City Council colleagues this morning and will travel this afternoon to Washington, D.C.

Djou said House GOP leaders have informed him that his swearing-in is tentatively scheduled for 4 p.m., Eastern time, tomorrow.

Djou won Saturday's special election to fill the vacancy in the 1st Congressional District.

His resignation will trigger a process in which the eight remaining members of the council select a temporary replacement.

Council Chairman Todd Apo said his office will take resumes and letters of interest from people in Djou's District 4 (East Honolulu, from Ala Moana/Waikiki to Hawaii Kai) through June 1.

Council members will vote on a choice at their next regular meeting on June 9.

Because Djou resigned with less than a year left on his term, the Honolulu City Charter calls for the council to pick a selection within 30 days. If it cannot do so, it would be up to Mayor Mufi Hannemann to choose a temporary successor.

Whoever takes the District 4 seat will hold it until a new member is elected in this fall's election.

But the person will take part in some weighty votes, including the city's $1.8 billion budget that's up for a vote the same day he or she will be picked and take office.

Djou said he would prefer the temporary replacement not be someone who intends to run for the seat, or any other elected office, this fall.

Apo said it's also his preference to pick someone who is not running for the seat, noting that the council has used that criteria in the past. Ultimately, however, that decision will be up to a majority of the eight remaining council members.