The Keith Kaneshiro-Dennis Mitsunaga trial now making headlines only underscores the need for the clean elections bill that was summarily dismissed by the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee recently after being passed in the Senate.

The trial reflects the intersection of workplace dynamics, gender equity, and allegations of political influence. It has sparked discussions in local women’s groups, especially during Women’s History Month, about gender pay disparities and the challenges women face when advocating for salary increases.

According to a recent U.S. Census Bureau report, even if women earn a post-secondary certificate or graduate from a top-tier university, they still make about 71 cents on the dollar compared with men at the same education level.

The significance of Laurel Mau’s request for a raise within this trial may appear to be a minor detail, but its importance extends beyond this case.

This month, the House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee deferred the Clean Elections legislation (Senate Bill 2381) despite its unanimous passage in the Hawaii Senate. The legislation aims to stop the influence of big money in politics and provide an alternate path to office for individuals without connections to wealthy donors or special interests.

The bill is designed to be impartial and includes every major state and county office, not singling out any one group for a trial, unlike some previous bills. Implementing clean elections — with stricter regulations on campaign financing and transparency — would decrease the chances of people using money to manipulate legal outcomes.

In Mau’s case, allegations suggest that campaign donations were used to influence the legal system against her.

The clean elections bill has the potential to reduce the influence of money in politics and promote transparency. It establishes appropriate penalties for rule violations and implements thorough, regular reporting requirements to prevent potential abuse.

Such legislation would have a positive effect on women’s organizations, which are at the forefront of educating the community on policies that promote gender equity and economic justice. Terminations of female employees who ask for raises could be evaluated more objectively without potential campaign contributions clouding judgment.

Clean elections would also help women running for office by offering them a more equitable way to raise money. Sometimes people have biases against female candidates and think they might not be as good at leading or raising funds.

With clean elections, female candidates from diverse ethnic backgrounds can compete based on their skills and ideas, rather than how much money they can fundraise. Reducing this gender bias in Hawaii would give women across various ethnic communities a better shot at running for office, and publicly-funded elections also afford candidates more time to spend engaging with the community rather than fundraising.

It would foster a more diverse pool of candidates from various backgrounds such as teachers, small business owners, and veterans. The role of special interests in government decision making — and the influence of large institutions that often marginalize women — would be greatly reduced; the voices of marginalized people amplified.

As it stands, women in Hawaii only hold 37% of the state Legislature seats and out of Hawaii’s four consolidated city-counties, none have female mayors. With diversity, equity, and inclusion programs being cancelled across the nation at corporations and universities, Hawaii has the opportunity to set an example as a state that prioritizes inclusive and equitable political representation, mirroring the diversity of our population.

A SurveyUSA poll found that the majority of voters in Hawaii consider the cost of the clean elections program, $6 per resident, reasonable, with provisions for not running the program if funds are insufficient in the future.

Ultimately, reducing gender bias and promoting fairness in Hawaii’s political landscape would empower women across all ethnic communities to consider political careers with confidence, thus advancing gender parity in our state and giving women from diverse backgrounds the opportunity to actually reach their fullest potential and thrive.

Clean elections offer a promising pathway toward this goal, and more elected officials can then include the needs of women — like equal pay — in their policy decisions. Learn more by clicking here.