STAND. COM. REP. NO. 18

                                   Honolulu, Hawaii
                                                     , 1999

                                   RE:  S.B. No. 913
                                        




Honorable Norman Mizuguchi
President of the Senate
Twentieth State Legislature
Regular Session of 1999
State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Transportation and Intergovernmental
Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 913 entitled: 

     "A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS BY MAIL,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to establish a provision for
elections by mail in the State.  Specifically, this measure
provides that any federal, state, or county election held other
than on the date of a regularly scheduled primary and general
election, may be conducted by mail.

     Testimony in support of this measure was received from the
Office of Elections, the Coordinating Council on Deafness, the
Maui County Council, and Common Cause Hawaii.

     Your Committee finds that this measure would allow the State
to conduct a special election as an election by mail instead of a
polling place election.  Because section 11-174.5, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, has been amended to provide one hundred-twenty days for
a special election, this measure reduces the personnel and
logistical problems associated with establishing such an
election, thus making it easier to conduct an election within
that time frame.  Additionally, conducting an election by mail
significantly reduces the cost of hiring election day officials
and paying polling place fees.

     Your Committee further finds that this measure would likely
increase voter participation, as voters would be able to make

 
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                                   STAND. COM. REP. NO. 18
                                   Page 2


their choices on their own time and at their own leisure.  Also,
voters with special needs, such as those who are deaf or hard of
hearing, will have equal access to the election system, and will
not have to deal with the hardship of communicating effectively
with the workers at the polling places. 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your
Committee on Transportation and Intergovernmental Affairs that is
attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the
intent and purpose of S.B. No. 913 and recommends that it pass
Second Reading and be referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

                                   Respectfully submitted on
                                   behalf of the members of the
                                   Committee on Transportation
                                   and Intergovernmental Affairs,



                                   ______________________________
                                   CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair

 
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