STAND. COM. REP. NO.  407-16

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

 

RE:   H.B. No. 2019

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2019 entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to establish instant runoff voting procedures for elections in which no primary election is held and for special elections.

 

     Common Cause Hawaii testified in support of this measure.  The Office of Elections provided comments.

 

     Your Committee has amended this measure to limit the application of instant runoff voting procedures to elections for any federal, state, or county election that is held on a date other than the date of a regularly scheduled primary or general election and requiring the election to be conducted by mail.

 

     Your Committee notes that this measure specifies the ballots shall be simple and easy to understand and accompanied by instructions to the voter.  Furthermore, the measure requires the Office of Elections to distribute educational materials that explain the instant runoff voting procedures prior to the election.  Since the election will be conducted by mail, your Committee finds that voters will have sufficient time to examine the materials and the ballot prior to voting.

 

     Your Committee further finds that instant run off voting more accurately expresses voters' preferences and allows many candidates to run without fear of distorting the outcome.  Most importantly, it helps establish winning candidates who are elected by a majority of voters instead of a plurality.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2019, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2019, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

 

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair