Election Protection

Our votes are our voice in determining our future and the future of our ohana, our Hawaii, and our country.

At a time when far too many eligible Hawaii voters may be demoralized and feel hopeless, we need to rededicate ourselves to increasing participation among eligible voters.

One way we’re doing that in Common Cause Hawaii is by supporting our state’s 2020 transition to vote-by-mail. Hawaii is very fortunate to have adopted voting by mail when we did. We showed the nation that mail-in voting, especially during a pandemic, is how people prefer to vote.

As Hawaii implemented vote-by-mail for the 2020 Elections, Common Cause Hawaii extended our non-partisan volunteer Election Protection program for the needs of our state. We held webinars about the vote-by-mail process, including pertinent deadlines, how to vote-by-mail, where to return voted ballots, how to vote in-person if necessary, and more.

We let everyone know that voting by mail is safe, secure, and convenient! And while many prefer to vote-by-mail, Hawaii still has Voter Service Centers open across the state for people to same day register to vote and vote, cast in-person ballots, and obtain other necessary in-person election services.

And the results speak for themselves: Hawaii increased voter turnout by nearly 16% for the 2020 Primary Election compared to 2016 — and almost 70% for the 2020 General Election compared to 2016!

You can use our voting tools to verify your voter registration, find out if you are eligible to vote, register to vote, get election reminders and more >> 

Become an Election Protection Volunteer

No qualified Hawaiian should be deprived of their right to vote due to confusion, suppression, or intimidation.

That’s why Common Cause Hawaii has developed an election protection program for midterm and presidential elections. Direct volunteer intervention is the most effective way to make sure voters can’t be disenfranchised by confusion over election rules, long lines, under-resourced polling places, and acts of intimidation or deception. 

With our election protection program, we help eliminate these obstacles and make elections more efficient by:

• Ensuring voters have access to the ballot box to make their vote count
• Providing voters with necessary voting information and answering their questions
• Quickly identifying and correcting any problems at polling places
• Gathering information to illustrate potential barriers to voting

Join us in safeguarding our elections by signing up to be a:

• Poll Monitor: Identify issues at the polls, answer voters’ questions, and connect those who are denied a ballot to legal resources.
• Roving Poll Monitor: Drive or bike between polling places and check on lines, signage, and poll preparation. Report back to HQ on any problems at the polls that need to be solved.
• Social Media Monitor: Search for social media posts that share issues at the polls, connect voters to resources and support, and report election-related mis- and disinformation.
• 866-OUR VOTE Hotline Monitor: *Must be a law student, attorney, or have a legal background* Respond and field calls from voters concerning election deadlines, trouble at the polls, and other issues and track and record information accordingly.
• Voter Contact Volunteer: Use phone banking tools to talk to thousands of voters to give them accurate voting information and support.

Click below to learn more about the program, or to sign up to help us protect the vote!