RES 029 Draft 01 2008-2010 - Laserfiche WebLink

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COUNTY OF HAWAII STATE OF HAWAII RESOLUTION NO. 29 09 A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII TO ENACT A BILL TO ESTABLISH A PILOT PROGRAM FOR VOTE BY MAIL FOR ALL FEDERAL, STATE, AND COUNTY PRIMARY, GENERAL, AND SPECIAL ELECTIONS IN THE COUNTY OF HAWAII, AND TO MAKE AN APPROPRIATION FOR THIS PILOT PROGRAM. WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii has historically one of the lowest voter turnouts in the country, and additionally, in 2006, the County of Hawaii had 173, 057 residents and 131,203 residents who were 18 -years -of -age or older (76% of the population), but only 42.6% of the registered voters voted; and WHEREAS, in Hawaii County, the percentage of voters in the Primary Election consistently dropped from a high of 88.6% in 1959 to 41.8% in 2008, and the percentage of voters for the General Election consistently dropped from a high of 94.3% in 1959 to 67.7% in 2008 with the lowest year being 2006 at 53.2%. In 2008, Hawaii County had 99,337 registered voters, but only 67,258 actually voted (67.7%) in the General Election which was also a presidential election year; and WHEREAS, absentee ballots (combination of mail -in and walk-in) in Hawaii County Primary Elections have increased from 1988 (9.8%) through 2008 (40.2%). Absentee ballots in Hawaii County General Elections have increased from 9.3% in 1988 to 43.0% in 2008; and WHEREAS, Oregon has had Vote By Mail elections since 1998. The 2004 Oregon election was one of the most contentious and closely scrutinized elections in Oregon history, and Oregon had the third highest voter turnout in the nation at 86.48% of registered voters. Of the five states with the highest voter turnout in 2004, Oregon was the only state without same-day voter registration. In 2008, Oregon achieved 85.7% voter turnout; and WHEREAS, Vote By Mail maximizes voter convenience because voters do not have to stand in lines at the polls, take time off from work, drive in bad weather to precincts, wait for their turn at a limited number of polling booths, or have an illness or personal emergency on Election Day that prevents them from voting; and WHEREAS, fraud can be protected against by utilizing the Vote By Mail program used in Oregon, to which every signature is verified to ensure that that voter is who they claim to be; and WHEREAS, Vote By Mail improves accuracy of voter rolls because mailed ballots are not forwarded by the United States Postal Service but are returned to the county office of elections where voter rolls are accurately kept without the risk of inappropriate purges; and