Adds a requirement that nonprofit organizations involved in polling not be a political action committee or political in nature. Makes it unlawful to use, print, publish, or distribute any voter registration information from affidavits or lists. Requires qualified political parties to submit names for precinct officials no later than the "40th" day, instead of the "60^th day", before the close of filing for any election. Adds reciprocal beneficiary of a candidate to the list of those not eligible to serve as a precinct official in a candidate's precinct. Allows the watcher of a political party to be present at any time and to review the polling book but not to record confidential information.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. Section 11-5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

"(b) Notwithstanding chapters 103 and 103D, the chief election officer may contract with community organizations, school booster clubs, and nonprofit organizations for the provision and compensation of precinct officials and other election related personnel, services, and activities; provided that to be eligible to enter into a contract, the organization or club shall have received a tax clearance certificate from the department of taxation[.] and shall not be a political action committee or organized for a political purpose."

SECTION 2. Section 11-14, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§11-14 General county register; restrictions in use. (a) The clerk of each county shall register all the voters in the clerk's county in the general county register. The register shall contain the name and address of each voter unless [such] the voter's address is deemed confidential pursuant to section 11-14.5. Additional information required by section 11-15 may be included in the register at the discretion of the clerk. The voter's name shall be maintained alphabetically in the register and be capable of segregation by precinct and representative district. The clerk shall keep the original or photographic copy of the affidavit of registration required by section 11-15. The general county register shall be available for election or government purposes only in accordance with section 11-97.

(b) The affidavits filed under section 11-15 and the general county register may be copied, and the clerk may release voter lists and tabulating cards or computer tapes containing data furnished in the affidavit; provided that information furnished in the affidavits, register, voter lists, cards, or tapes, shall be copied or released for election or government purposes only in accordance with section 11-97.

(c) Voter registration information [which] that is collected and maintained by the clerk of each county may be transmitted to a central file for the purpose of correlating registration data to prevent or detect duplicate voter registrations and for the compilation of election reports.

(d) The clerk of each county shall maintain records by computer tape or otherwise of office of Hawaiian affairs registered voters to facilitate their identification as a separate category of voters.

(e) It shall be unlawful for any person to use, print, publish, or distribute in any manner not authorized by section 11-97, any voter registration information acquired directly or indirectly from the voter registration affidavits or any list prepared therefrom. Any person who is designated by the clerk to register voters and collect voter registration affidavits shall be advised of the provisions of this subsection. Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor."

SECTION 3. Section 11-72, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

"(a) All qualified political parties shall submit names for precinct officials to the chief election officer not later than 4:30 p.m. on the [sixtieth] fortieth day prior to the close of filing for any primary, special primary, or special election. All precinct officials shall be able to read and write the English language. If any party fails to submit the required names by the above deadline, or names sufficient to fill the positions to which it would be entitled, assignment of positions to which the party would otherwise be entitled pursuant to subsection (b), may be made without regard to party affiliation.

(b) In assigning the precinct officials the following criteria shall be followed:

SECTION 4. Section 11-77, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:

1. By amending subsection (a) to read:

"(a) Each qualified political party shall be entitled to appoint no more than one watcher who may be present at any time in each precinct and absentee polling place in which the candidates of [such] that political party are on the ballot. Each party shall submit its list of watchers not later than 4:30 p.m. on the tenth day prior to any election to the chief election officer or to the clerk in county elections. All watchers shall serve without expense to the State or county. All watchers so appointed shall be registered voters. No person shall serve as a watcher who could not qualify to serve as a precinct official under section 11-72(3)."

2. By amending subsection (c) to read:

"(c) All watchers for precincts shall be permitted to observe the conduct of the election in the precinct. The watchers may remain in the precinct as long as the precinct is in operation subject to section 19-6. Watchers may review the polling book but may not record confidential information, including social security numbers and dates of birth."

SECTION 5. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.