THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2530

THIRTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2020

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to voting.

 

 

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

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that only 52.7 per cent of registered voters, and only 32.6 per cent of voters aged eighteen to twenty-nine, cast ballots in Hawai‘i during the 2018 general election.  Voting is a habit that can be established with a voter's first election.  Evidence from jurisdictions that have lowered the voting age supports arguments that the age of sixteen is a better time to start the habit of voting than eighteen.  Voting in one election can increase the probability that the person will vote in the next election by over fifty per cent.

     Early voting experiences are an important determinant of future voting behavior.  Sixteen and seventeen-year-olds work and pay taxes; drive; and in some cases may be married; have children; or, even be tried in adult courts.  The legislature further finds that extending voting rights to Hawai‘i residents aged sixteen and seventeen, coupled with robust civic education at high school levels, will likely increase the civic engagement of young people and help instill a culture of voting leading to higher voter turnout among all demographics in the State.

     The purpose of this Act is to lower the voting age for state and local elections from eighteen to sixteen years of age.

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

     "§11-11  Registration.  A person who registers as required by law shall be entitled to vote at any state or local election; provided that the person shall have attained the age of [eighteen] sixteen at the time of that election.  A person who registers as required by law shall be entitled to vote at any federal election; provided that the person shall have attained the age of eighteen at the time of that election.  The county clerk shall be responsible for voter registration in the respective counties and the keeping of the general register and precinct lists within the county."

     SECTION 3.  Section 11-12, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§11-12  Age; place of registering.  (a)  Every person who has reached the age of [eighteen] sixteen years or who is [seventeen] fifteen years of age and will be [eighteen] sixteen years of age by the date of the next state or local election, and is otherwise qualified to register may do so for that election.  The person shall then be listed upon the appropriate county general register and precinct list.  No person shall register or vote in any other precinct than that in which the person resides except as provided in section 11-21.

     (b)  A person who is otherwise qualified to register and is at least [sixteen] fourteen years of age but will not be [eighteen] sixteen years of age by the date of the next state or local election may preregister upon satisfactory proof of age and shall be automatically registered upon reaching age [eighteen.] sixteen.

     (c)  Any person who registers pursuant to this section shall not vote in any federal election unless the person has reached the age of eighteen at the time of that election."

     SECTION 4.  Section 11-15.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§11-15.5[]]  Duties of all state agencies; voter registration.  Each state agency that deals with the public shall make available to each member of the public [eighteen] sixteen years of age or older an application in the form of an affidavit for voter registration pursuant to section 11-15.  The application shall be available by mail or in person depending on the manner in which the agency's services are requested by the person.  The form of the application may be identical to that described and found in public telephone directories."

     SECTION 5.  Section 13D-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:

     "(a)  Every person who registers as required by law shall be entitled to vote at any election of board members provided that the person shall have attained the age of [eighteen] sixteen years at the time of the election.

     (b)  No person shall be eligible to register as a voter for the election of board members unless the person meets the following qualifications:

     (1)  The person has attained the age of [eighteen] sixteen years or will have attained such age within one year of the date of the next election of board members; and

     (2)  The person is otherwise qualified to register to vote in the State."

     SECTION 6.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 7.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval and upon ratification of a constitutional amendment lowering the qualifying age of voters for any state or local election to sixteen years of age.

 

INTRODUCED BY:

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Report Title:

Voting Age Decrease; State and Local Elections

 

Description:

Lowers the age of voting in state and local elections from eighteen to sixteen years of age.  Lowers the age of preregistration.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.