In the months leading up to the primary election, Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago said the office was frustrated by the lack of communication with Hawaii County Clerk Jamae Kawauchi.

He became so concerned; he said he sent some of his staff to the Big Island to help out.

"What my staff witnessed was poor planning, implementation, and leadership by the County Clerk," he said.

The report details a number of planning problems, they said, led to delays and errors on primary election day.

"In hindsight Jamae, do you feel you were prepared for the job?" asked KITV Reporter Lara Yamada.

"I feel I was prepared as I could be for the job," she said.

Kawauchi fired back Thursday night, accusing the elections office of lack of communication too, and unfair criticism.

"I soundly disagree with the state office of elections and their assessment that there was failed leadership, poor planning, and implementation on my behalf," she said.

She admits there were indeed mistakes during the primary, such as a staffer simply missing poll boxes to be delivered and phones not being programmed correctly.

She said she met with seven precinct chairs on Wednesday and decided that during the general election, to avoid any other problems, her staff will deliver some supplies the day before, have senior managers check-in at polling places, and have election boxes packed in vans the night before - with sheriffs standing guard until election day.