HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

178

TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2014

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE office of elections TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF EARLY WALK-IN VOTING LOCATIONS.

 

 

 


     WHEREAS, the right to vote is critical to democratic governance and the election services associated with voting constitute a core governmental function in a democracy; and

 

     WHEREAS, the civic rights of Hawaii's citizens to govern through representational government via voting for elected officials should be encouraged and supported as much as reasonably possible; and

 

     WHEREAS, in 2012, only forty-four and one-half per cent of eligible Hawaii citizens turned out to vote, according to the United States Elections Project; and

 

     WHEREAS, turnout among younger voters continues to be below average, and improving the ease and convenience of voting may increase participation among these voters; and

 

     WHEREAS, according to the Office of Elections, approximately forty-six per cent of all ballots cast in Honolulu in 2012 were absentee, which includes early walk-in voting; and

 

     WHEREAS, according to the Elections Division of the Clerk of the City and County of Honolulu, Honolulu Hale and Kapolei Hale will be the only locations for early walk-in voting in 2014 for both the primary and general elections; and

 

     WHEREAS, the State should increase access to voting by opening a greater number of early voting sites at convenient locations, such as University of Hawaii system campus locations; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2014, that the Office of Elections is requested to increase the number of early walk-in voting locations; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Office of Elections is further requested to especially consider the University of Hawaii system campus locations for additional early walk-in voting locations; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Chief Election Officer.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Elections