STAND. COM. REP. NO. 281

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: S.B. No. 560

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2021

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 560 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RANKED CHOICE VOTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to establish ranked choice voting for special federal elections and special elections of vacant county council seats.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Americans for Democratic Action, Common Cause Hawaii, Green Party Hawai‘i, and eight individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from three individuals.

Your Committee finds that numerous candidates often run in special elections for federal or county council offices, which often results in the election of a candidate by a mere plurality of votes. Your Committee recognizes that conducting these elections by ranked choice voting would result in the election of candidates who receive a clear majority of votes, thus eliminating the need for costly and inefficient runoff elections.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 560 and recommends that it pass Second Reading and be referred to your Committee on Judiciary.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety, Intergovernmental, and Military Affairs,

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CLARENCE K. NISHIHARA, Chair