2018-06-08 Proclamation by Chief Elections Officer and County Clerk regarding Emergency Polling Places amid Eruption

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PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, the Primary Election for the State of Hawaii is scheduled for August 11, 2018; and WHEREAS, on May 3, 2018, the Governor of the State of Hawaii and the Acting Mayor of the County of Hawaii each issued emergency proclamations relating to the volcanic activity in the East Rift Zone of Kilauea volcano; and WHEREAS, on May 9, 2018, the Governor of the State of Hawaii issued a supplementary proclamation; and WHEREAS, due to the uncertain nature of the volcanic eruption, voters assigned to Pahoa Community Center (District Precinct 04-03) and Pahoa High & Intermediate School (District Precinct 04-04) are at risk of not being able to vote because their polling place may serve as an emergency shelter for those impacted by the volcanic activity or alternatively, due to their polling place being inaccessible; and WHEREAS, election officials must make judgments based on the information available at the time and the unique circumstances of the occasion; and WHEREAS, delaying a decision regarding the conduct of the Primary Election in District Precincts 04-03 and 04-04 may cause confusion and disrupt the election; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 15-2.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS), the Chief Election Officer and the County Clerk may determine that the opening of a designated polling place will adversely affect the health and safety of voters or precinct officials as a result of a natural disaster, and the Chief Election Officer and County Clerk, by written order, may require the registered voters of the precinct to vote by absentee ballot; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 11-92.3, HRS, if the extent of the damage caused by a natural disaster is such that the ability of voters to exercise their right to vote is substantially impaired, the Chief Election Officer or the County Clerk in the case of county elections, may require the registered voters of the affected area to vote by absentee ballot pursuant to Section 15-2.5, HRS, and that notice of the requirement to vote by absentee ballot shall be given in the affected county or precinct prior to the opening of the precinct polling place by whatever possible news or broadcast media are available.