I am happy to see that automatic voter registration (AVR) became a reality this year. As an honors undergraduate who testified in support of AVR, I would like to think that lawmakers took into consideration the voices of my generation. After all, Hawaii’s future is in our hands. AVR is the logical next step after …
Hawaii needs automatic voter registration. Gov. David Ige should sign Senate Bill 159 into law. The pandemic has shown the life-and-death difference local and national elected officials can have on our lives. But on average, the young people I meet as a community college instructor are completely alienated from electoral politics. Even (sometimes especially) politically …
Supporters of the measure say AVR will make registering to vote more convenient and cost-effective, and would keep the voter registration rolls more current. “It breaks down barriers for people who otherwise wouldn’t engage,” said the bill’s author Sen. Chris Lee (D-Oahu) in a March 8 talk story. Read on West Hawaii Today.
That is why I am so encouraged by the increased civic engagement I see among our Micronesian youth, and why I believe passing automatic voter registration will help improve access to the ballot for Micronesian voices so that the opportunity is present for them to be heard at the highest levels of policymaking and government. …
Column: Getting young Micronesians to vote in Hawaii Read More »
Registering to vote in Hawaii may seem easy, and compared to labyrinthine requirements in many other states, it is. But to people experiencing homelessness, our system’s prerequisites can make casting a ballot impossible. Kristen Alice is director of community relations for Hope Services Hawaii, and vice chairperson for Community Alliance Partners, a coalition of social …
Column: Poverty, houselessness should not mean loss of voting rights Read More »
AVR will make voting more accessible, secure and convenient. Here’s how it works. When you go to the DMV to apply for or renew your driving license or your state of Hawai‘i ID, eligible citizens will have their updated information automatically sent to the Office of Elections to allow them to vote when Election Day …
VOICES: Automatic voter registration will improve lives Read More »
There is a common-sense, cost- and time-saving solution: enact automatic voter registration. This simply means that when someone goes to the DMV to get or renew their driver’s license or state ID, their voter information will be sent electronically to the County Elections Division, unless they opt out. Carmen Hulu Lindsey, Maui Island representative and …
Modernizing our elections will ensure that “we, the people” will be heard Read More »
“We have been talking to lawmakers and, generally, there is a sense of support for AVR,” says Sandy Ma, executive director of Common Cause Hawaii. “It will save money and time and help make elections more secure. It’s long past time to do this.” Read on Civil Beat.
There is no excuse for the AVR bill not to pass this legislative session since AVR builds on the success of online voting registration, minimizes bureaucracy, saves money and resources for the state, plus requires less time and effort from eligible voters. Jeannette Paulson Hereniko Read the full editorial column in the Honolulu Star Advertiser.
The state and counties must do more to inform people during these difficult times. It has been noted by many that local government must adjust to new realities. But is that happening? In this inaugural year of vote-by-mail, despite getting more than $3 million in federal funds for election security, the state Office of Elections …
Community Voice: Voting By Mail Process In Hawaii Still Needs Work Read More »
