REPORT TITLE:
Elections; Blank Ballot


DESCRIPTION:
Requires chief election officer to inform voters of the
consequences of a blank ballot on questions to the electorate.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES                H.B. NO.454        
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  Section 11-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 2 amended by amending subsection (e) to read as follows:
 
 3      "(e)  Upon the certification of any bill that sets forth a
 
 4 question for vote by the electorate, the chief election officer
 
 5 shall coordinate the preparation of appropriate voter education
 
 6 materials with the legislative reference bureau.  The chief
 
 7 election officer shall clearly inform voters of the consequences
 
 8 of a blank vote.  The legislative reference bureau shall be
 
 9 responsible for the interpretation of the bill and shall submit
 
10 to the chief election officer, not later than ninety days prior
 
11 to the general election, the following items in final form:
 
12      (1)  A summary, factsheet, and digest of the proposed
 
13           constitutional amendment, which includes the purpose
 
14           and intent of the proposed constitutional amendment,
 
15           and ramifications of the proposed constitutional
 
16           amendment if ratified by the electorate; [and]
 
17      (2)  Arguments for and against ratification of the proposed
 
18           constitutional amendment[.]; and
 

 
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                                     H.B. NO.454        
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (3)  A clear statement regarding the constitutional
 
 2           requirement for vote counting and the manner in which a
 
 3           blank vote will be counted for purposes of ratification
 
 4           of the proposed constitutional amendment."
 
 5      SECTION 2.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed.
 
 6 New statutory material is underscored.
 
 7      SECTION 3.  This Act shall take effect July 2, 1999.
 
 8 
 
 9                              INTRODUCED BY:______________________