STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3479

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 1653

       H.D. 1

       S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred H.B. No. 1653, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to require that voting be conducted by mail.

     Specifically, this measure:

(1)  Requires the Office of Elections, beginning with the 2018 primary election, to implement elections by mail in a county with a population of less than 100,000;

(2)  Requires the Office of Elections, beginning with the 2020 primary election, to implement elections by mail statewide for all elections;

(3)  Establishes procedures for the mailing of ballots to voters and the contents of included voting instructions;

(4)  Establishes procedures for a voter to obtain a replacement ballot;

(5)  Requires county clerks to establish voter service centers to provide voters with a location to return completed ballots as an alternative to placing the ballot in the mail;

(6)  Establishes how election expenses shall be allocated between the county and the State;

(7)  Establishes procedures for the disclosure of voting results if an election is postponed;

(8)  Allows a voter to request that a ballot be temporarily mailed to an address other than the voter's permanent mailing address; and

(9)  Appropriates funds for the Office of Elections to conduct a public awareness campaign on elections by mail.

     Your Committee received written comments in support of this measure from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, County of Maui Office of the County Clerk, Disability and Communication Access Board, League of Women Voters, and four individuals.

     Your Committee received written comments in opposition to this measure from one individual.

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Elections.

     Your Committee finds that elections conducted by mail would help to make the voting process more convenient and may result in increased voter participation.  Your Committee further finds that allowing the Office of Elections and the county clerks to focus on an election conducted by mail, instead of the current three-system process of absentee mail, absentee walk-in, and election day polling places, would increase government efficiency and save an estimated $800,000 each election cycle.

     Your Committee believes this measure should advance to provide the subject matter committees with an opportunity to further refine the language of the measure and consider the amendments suggested by the Office of Elections.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Ways and Means that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1653, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Ways and Means,

________________________________

JILL N. TOKUDA, Chair