STAND. COM. REP. NO.361

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2003

RE: S.B. No. 1347

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2003

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 1347 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the posting of unofficial results after the close of a polling place and a manual recount and audit of votes in close races. This measure also deletes the requirement that the chairperson of the precinct officials be of the same party as the Governor.

Testimony in support of this measure was received from the Governor. The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii orally expressed support. Comments were received from the Office of Elections.

Your Committees agree with the testimony of the Office of Elections that election results should be validated and confirmed before being distributed.

Your Committees have reservations at the present time about the logistics of a recount, which takes enormous time, particularly between the primary and general election.

Your Committees have amended this measure by deleting all provisions except for repealing the requirement that the chairperson of the precinct officials be of the same party as the Governor.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 1347, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 1347, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations and Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs,

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COLLEEN HANABUSA, Chair

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CAL KAWAMOTO, Chair