Press Release
Common Cause Hosts Town Hall on Immigration, Government Accountability
On Tuesday, Common Cause Hawaii discussed immigration and government accountability at the "People’s Promise" Town Hall.
Press
Media Contacts
Maya Majikas
Communications Strategist
mmajikas@commoncause.org
Common Cause’s network of national and state democracy reform experts are frequent media commentators. To talk with one of our experts, please reach out to any member of the press team above.
Press Release
Voting Rights Groups Demand State and County Clerks Bridge Gaps After Move to All Vote-By-Mail in 2020 Elections
News Clip
Common Cause’s 50 Year Anniversary
Fifty years ago in 1970, Punahou School graduate John W. Gardner — a Republican secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) under a Democratic president, Lyndon B. Johnson — founded Common Cause, which became the nation's largest public interest group dedicated to providing open, honest and accountable government. As is the case today in America, disenchantment with government was exceedingly high. In our current climate of cynicism and exhaustion with corruption in politics at the highest level, Common Cause Hawaii's efforts to...
News Clip
Before the nation was overwhelmed by the current health crisis, only five states conducted their elections through mail-in voting. Now, concerns over social distancing are causing elections offices across the country to reconsider how best to bring the ballot to the people.
Hawaii was among those five states, and while mail-in voting is available for all residents - some are concerned about the lack of statewide Voter Services Centers.
Sandy Ma, Common Cause Hawaii Executive Director and Lisa Gibson, group leader...
Hawaii was among those five states, and while mail-in voting is available for all residents - some are concerned about the lack of statewide Voter Services Centers.
Sandy Ma, Common Cause Hawaii Executive Director and Lisa Gibson, group leader...
Press Release
ADVISORY May 26: Voting in a Pandemic
News Clip
Honolulu Star-Advertiser OpEd Column – Elections office needs to prepare for vote-by-mail problems
In a few months, a potential 750,000 registered voters will vote by mail (VBM) for the very first time statewide in Hawaii. We’re in the midst of a pandemic causing — among much else — unprecedented social disruption and unpredictability. A second wave of COVID-19 is predicted during the lead-up to the general election in the fall. Many voters will not understand the new VBM process, or even be aware of it until days or hours before it begins. Common Cause Hawaii has already heard questions such as, “Do I have to register again?”...
News Clip
Hawaii's all mail-in voting system is being touted as the cure-all that could save lives and preserve democracy, when voting during the coronavirus pandemic.
Under Hawaii’s new vote-by-mail law, there will no longer be traditional polling locations. There will, instead, only be eight voter service centers statewide for people to vote in-person, same-day register to vote, or perform other necessary voter services. However, comprehensive planning will be critically important for Hawaii’s all mail-in Aug. 8 primary and Nov. 3...
Under Hawaii’s new vote-by-mail law, there will no longer be traditional polling locations. There will, instead, only be eight voter service centers statewide for people to vote in-person, same-day register to vote, or perform other necessary voter services. However, comprehensive planning will be critically important for Hawaii’s all mail-in Aug. 8 primary and Nov. 3...
News Clip
Honolulu Star-Advertiser – Ige halts suspension of open government laws
Common Cause of Hawaii and the Civil Beat Law Center for the Public Interest worked with state attorneys to come up with the new language that appears at the end of the proclamation the governor issued Tuesday.
For more information on this new proclamation, see the next article in these News Clips and click on the Read More button.
For more information on this new proclamation, see the next article in these News Clips and click on the Read More button.
News Clip
Honolulu Civil Beat- Ige Backs Off His Suspension Of State Open Government Laws
The proclamation states that if public boards and commissions, such as county councils, do conduct business, which would require proper social distancing and teleconferencing capabilities, then every attempt should be made under normal Sunshine Law procedures to ensure public notification and participation, from posting agenda materials online to accommodating remote viewing and testimony.
The Civil Beat Law Center and Common Cause Hawaii both wrote letters to Ige urging him to reconsider the suspension of the so called Sunshine...
The Civil Beat Law Center and Common Cause Hawaii both wrote letters to Ige urging him to reconsider the suspension of the so called Sunshine...
News Clip
Honolulu Star-Advertiser – Editorial: Restore access to public meetings
In response to the first signs of COVID-19 community spread in Hawaii, Gov. David Ige issued an emergency proclamation in mid-March that, In addition to sensible provisions, included a puzzling suspension of a state public access law. The appalling upshot is that government bodies and agencies are now free to push forward with policy-making decisions while keeping the public in the dark, as they are not required to provide even a bare minimum of access to public meetings
A coalition of open-government advocates led by Common...
A coalition of open-government advocates led by Common...
News Clip
Honolulu Star Advertiser – Gov. David Ige to step back from blanket suspension of open meetings law
A coalition of open-government and public-access advocates led by Common Cause Hawaii sharply criticized Ige for imposing the restriction, arguing that suspension of the Sunshine Law wiped away decades of government transparency.
News Clip
Over the past few months Hawaii leaders have established curfews, called out the National Guard, set up checkpoints, ordered businesses to close, required the wearing of face masks, deployed drones to clear beaches and waived open records and meetings laws.
Also, advocates of open government and transparency were alarmed in mid-March when the governor suspended the state laws requiring agencies to meet in public and make government records public as part of the administration’s emergency COVID-19 response. In response to the...
Also, advocates of open government and transparency were alarmed in mid-March when the governor suspended the state laws requiring agencies to meet in public and make government records public as part of the administration’s emergency COVID-19 response. In response to the...
News Clip
Honolulu Star Advertiser – Honolulu Police Commission to hold second secret meeting
The governor’s emergency order says, however, that the boards shall reasonably allow for public participation consistent with social distancing practices, allowing written testimony to be submitted and livestreaming of meetings, as Common Cause Hawaii points out.
“Common Cause has always contended that the public should be able to comment and provide testimony in real time because our testimonies can change based on what is discussed at the meeting because we cannot anticipate in advance what’s discussed,” said Common...
“Common Cause has always contended that the public should be able to comment and provide testimony in real time because our testimonies can change based on what is discussed at the meeting because we cannot anticipate in advance what’s discussed,” said Common...