Vote By Mail Bill HB1401 Becomes Law Establishing a Vote By Mail Program for Kauai County in 2020

For Immediate Release

July 13, 2018

Contact:

Corie Tanida Executive Director, Common Cause Hawaii

808.275.6275

hawaii@commoncause.org

(Honolulu, HI)—HB1401 (2018) is now Act 182. Also known as Vote By Mail HB1401 HD1 SD1 CD1, will establish a pilot mail-in voting program across Kauai County for all elections in 2020.

The measure will increase access to the ballot for young people, members of the military, homebound seniors, and voters in rural areas who may not be able to visit the polls on Election Day, but who remain key demographics in Hawaii’s electorate. Voting rights advocates remain optimistic that establishing this pilot program is the first step toward implementing Vote by Mail statewide in the future.

“By implementing Vote by Mail for Kauai County, Hawaii is taking action to improve voter participation in the political process and stimulating our democracy by ensuring all voices have equal opportunity to be heard,” said Corie Tanida, Executive Director of Common Cause Hawaii. “We are committed to advocating for modernized election procedures until such reforms are available statewide,” she concluded.

States already using a universal vote by mail system confirm an increase in voter participation. If Vote by Mail were to become a statewide program, the Office of Elections estimates a saving of $750 thousand per election cycle due to increased efficiency and reduced administrative expenses.

“Hawaii has more than 20 years’ experience operating secure absentee voting programs so we are happy this long-awaited approach is beginning.  We look forward to a successful Kauai pilot,” shared Janet Mason, Legislative Committee Co-Chair for the League of Women Voters of Hawaii.

Common Cause Hawaii is a state chapter of the national Common Cause organization. Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to protecting and improving Hawaii’s political process and holding government accountable to the public interest. For more information, please visit hi.commoncause.org.

The League of Women Voters of Hawaii is a non-partisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit www.lwv-hawaii.com.

###