SB2083

Report Title:

Voting; Elections by Mail

Description:

Requires the office of elections to establish a vote-by-mail pilot program for the 2008 elections in the three representative districts having the lowest voter turnout rate during the two most recent general elections. Requires the chief election officer to submit a report on the pilot program to the legislature prior to the regular session of 2009. Appropriates funds for the pilot program.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2083
TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to election by mail.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that Hawaii has the lowest voter turnout rate in the nation, with just over forty per cent of eligible voters voting in the two most recent elections. In contrast, eighty-four per cent of registered voters in Oregon voted in 2004. Oregon's vote-by-mail system, approved by almost seventy per cent of Oregonians in a 1998 initiative, is credited with improving voter participation in Oregon. Oregon's vote-by-mail system is used for all elections and is popular with voters because it empowers the voter and eliminates many of the problems that exist in other voting systems. Ballots are mailed to voters, and the voter is required to return the ballot by mail or by dropping it off at designated sites within a two-week period.

Although, as of 2005, Oregon was the only state to use a vote-by-mail system for all elections, at least ten other states allow voting by mail at some level. The legislature finds that a vote-by-mail system has a number of advantages over traditional polling.

The purpose of this Act is to require the office of elections to develop and implement a vote-by-mail pilot program, similar to Oregon's vote-by-mail system. The pilot program shall be implemented for elections in 2008, in the three representative districts having the lowest voter turnout rates during the two most recent general elections.

SECTION 2. The office of elections shall develop and implement a vote-by-mail pilot program to replace traditional polling places in certain representative districts for elections in 2008. The vote-by-mail pilot program shall include a requirement that vote-by-mail ballots be received by the close of the polls on election day to ensure that they are counted. The pilot program shall be implemented in the three representative districts having the lowest voter turnout rate during the two most recent general elections, and shall include voter education materials relating to the vote-by-mail pilot program for eligible voters who reside in pilot program precincts.

Upon the conclusion of the 2008 general election, but not later than the convening of the regular session of 2009, the chief election officer shall submit a report to the legislature that includes:

(1) Voter demographics and other statistical information, as deemed necessary by the chief election officer, to accurately assess the efficacy of the pilot program for each selected representative district;

(2) Efforts made by the office of elections to advertise, educate, and promote the pilot program to enhance the pilot program's chance of success and the cost of those efforts;

(3) Whether the pilot program had any effect on increasing or decreasing voter participation and, if so, by how much;

(4) Any operational problems or legal impediments that arose that affected the implementation or operation of the pilot program;

(5) The actual cost of implementing the pilot program, including postage costs;

(6) A recommendation as to whether the pilot program should be made permanent on a limited or all-encompassing basis and, if recommended to be made permanent, a recommendation on what statutory revisions need to be made to fully effectuate the mail-in voting program; and

(7) An estimate on the cost, including postage costs, to continue the pilot program permanently on a limited or all-encompassing basis.

The vote-by-mail pilot program shall be funded by federal funds, when available, and legislative appropriations to the extent that federal funds are not available. The office of elections shall use federal funds whenever possible to develop and implement the pilot program.

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, to establish a vote-by-mail pilot program for elections in certain representative districts in 2008.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the office of elections for the purpose of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006 and shall be repealed on December 31, 2009.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________