HONOLULU -- On Saturday, Gov. Linda Lingle was shaking her head at the way House members, wary in an election year, hid their votes on a civil unions bill.

House members voted Friday by voice instead of roll call vote, which would have recorded a vote for each member and let the public know where each lawmaker stood on the issue.

Civil union supporters in the audience were furious, storming out of the chamber.

"Shame on you guys, shame. Disgraceful," one said.

Another said, "Cowards. Cowards. Animals."

House Speaker Calvin Say said it wasn't cowardice but simply a fact that there were not enough votes in support of civil unions to pass the measure.

Lingle said lawmakers are going to have to answer for the way they hid their votes.

"As a member of a council previously -- I served on the Maui County Council -- and I always preferred that people went on the record and let the public know. Even on the toughest votes. Let them know how you voted," Lingle said.

Lingle had not said whether she would have vetoed a civil unions bill if lawmakers had approved it, according to The Associated Press.

Lingle wants the focus of the session to be on the economy.

"Something so divisive at the beginning of session wouldn't be a good thing, so I'm glad they made that decision," Lingle told the AP.