HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES 209 Draft 01 2014-2016 NSY OiM�''
COUNTY OF HAWAII -_ % STATE OF HAWAII
RESOLUTION NO. 209 15
A RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE CHIEF ELECTION OFFICER OF THE STATE
OF HAWAII TO USE PLAIN LANGUAGE SUCH AS THE TERM "VOTE BY MAIL"
INSTEAD OF "ABSENTEE VOTING" FOR THE PURPOSE OF IMPROVING
CLARITY TO INCREASE TURNOUT OF REGISTERED VOTERS AT ELECTIONS.
WHEREAS, the Chief Election Officer of the State of Hawai`i is responsible for public
education with respect to voter registration and information in the State of Hawai`i; and
WHEREAS, Section 15-2 of the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) allows "any person
registered to vote..." to cast an "absentee ballot" in accordance with the laws of HRS Chapter 15
and rules adopted by the chief election officer; and
WHEREAS, HRS Section 15-4(e) states in part that"After receiving a request for
permanent absentee voter status, the clerk shall mail to the voter who requested permanent
absentee voter status an absentee ballot for all subsequent elections conducted in that precinct";
and
WHEREAS, HRS Section 15-7(a) states that"Absentee polling places shall be
established at the office of the respective clerks, and may be established at such other sites as
may be designated by the clerk under the provisions prescribed in the rules adopted by the chief
election officer"; and
WHEREAS, the word "absentee" has a misleading connotation that suggests voters must
be absent from their residences in order to be eligible to vote by mail, when that is not the case;
and
WHEREAS, the word "absentee" refers to a voter's absence from a polling place on
Election Day; and
WHEREAS,to the extent permitted by law, the Chief Election Officer may attempt to
increase voter turnout by communicating to the public the more descriptive and accurate phrases
"voting by mail" and "early walk-in polling places" instead of"absentee voting," "permanent
absentee voting," and "absentee polling places"; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE COUNTY OF HAWAII that the
Chief Election Officer of the State of Hawai`i is requested to use in communications with the
public plain language such as the term "vote by mail" for the purpose of increasing turnout of
registered voters at elections in the State of Hawaii.
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that the County Clerk shall transmit a copy of this
resolution to the Honorable Senator Gilbert Kahele; the Honorable Senator Russell E. Ruderman;
the Honorable Senator Josh Green; the Honorable Senator Lorraine R. Inouye; the Honorable
Representative Mark M. Nakashima; the Honorable Representative Clift Tsuji; the Honorable
Representative Richard H.K. Onishi; the Honorable Representative Joy A. San Buenaventura;
the Honorable Representative Richard P. Creagan; the Honorable Representative Nicole E.
Lowen; the Honorable Representative Cindy Evans; and Chief Election Officer Scott Nago.
Dated at Kona , Hawai`i, this 24th day of July , 2015.
INTRODUCED BY:
CS . CIL MEMBER CO Y OF HAWAII
COUNTY COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE
County of Hawai`i AYES NOES ABS EX
Hilo, Hawai`i CHUNG X
DAVID X
I hereby certify that the foregoing RESOLUTION was by EOFF X
the vote indicated to the right hereof adopted by the COUNCIL of the ILAGAN
County of Hawaii on July 24, 2015 X
KANUHA X
ONISHI X
ATTEST: PALEKA X
"�, f 1 POINDEXTER X
(J WILLS X
c4,44% 8 1 0 0
Reference: C-350/Waived GREDC
COUNTY CLERK CHAIRPERSON&PRESIDING OFFICER RESOLUTION NO. 209 15
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