THE SENATE	S.C.R. NO.	111
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

requesting the neighborhood commission and neighborhood commission office of the city and county of honolulu to reject implementation of an electronic election system, and to continue using paper ballots.

     WHEREAS, the City and County of Honolulu neighborhood board elections in May 2009, are expected to be carried out in a different manner than previous elections which were conducted by mail; and

     WHEREAS, due to a lack of funds from the Honolulu City Council, the Neighborhood Commission recommended electronic voting instead of mail out ballots for the next neighborhood board election, as well as the cessation of the mailing of candidate profiles to those registered to vote in neighborhood board elections; and

     WHEREAS; studies have found that switching from paper ballots to internet or telephone voting decreases the number of the potential voters due to concerns regarding a lack of security and oversight; and

     WHEREAS, there is movement across the nation to return to paper ballot voting unless the electronic voting system prints out a paper ballot; now, therefore,

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2009, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Neighborhood Commission and Neighborhood Commission Office are requested to reject the implementation of any voting system with questionable security, or which is not likely to increase voter participation; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Neighborhood Commission and the Neighborhood Commission Office are requested to support the continuation of paper ballots, and that all O‘ahu neighborhood board chairpersons be so informed; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Honolulu City Council is requested to appropriate funds for the Neighborhood Commission Office budget in order to ensure paper ballots may be used for the next neighborhood board election and for purposes of synchronization with other elections; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Neighborhood Commission, the Neighborhood Commission Office, and to the Honolulu City Council.

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Oahu Neighborhood Board Elections; Reinstatement of Paper Ballots