STAND. COM. REP. NO.  649-14

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2014

RE:   H.B. No. 2408

      H.D. 1

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Seventh State Legislature

Regular Session of 2014

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 2408 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to promote fair elections by requiring the names of candidates to be placed on the ballot for their respective offices in alphabetical order commencing with a randomly-drawn letter.

The Office of Elections, League of Women Voters, and one concerned individual provided comments on this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Adding a purpose section describing the Legislature's intent in requiring candidates' names to be listed on the ballots beginning with a letter selected at random;

     (2)  Clarifying the method for determining the order of candidates' names on the ballot pursuant to alphabetical order with a randomly selected starting point;

     (3)  Requiring the Chief Election Officer to provide an explanation to voters on the system of placing candidates' names on the ballot; and

     (4)  Changing the effective date to provide that if the measure is not enacted by June 3, 2014, its effect will be delayed until November 5, 2014.

     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. 2408, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2408, H.D. 1, and be placed on the calendar for Third Reading.

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

____________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair