THE SENATE                           S.C.R. NO.            208
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                    SENATE  CONCURRENT
                        RESOLUTION
  REQUESTING THE LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE BUREAU TO COMPARE HAWAII'S
    ELECTION SYSTEM WITH THAT OF OTHER STATES.



 1        WHEREAS, the 1998 elections in Hawaii was marred by
 2   questionable results in at least one very close race; and
 3   
 4        WHEREAS, the Hawaii Supreme Court was called upon to order
 5   a manual ballot recount of precinct 1 in the 44th
 6   Representative District in Waianae-Makaha, the recount being
 7   necessary because of the very close election result in that
 8   race; and
 9   
10        WHEREAS, because of widespread uncertainty over the entire
11   1998 election results, a machine recount of all races was
12   completed in early March, 1999, and then a manual recount of
13   selected races was conducted for six close races; and
14   
15        WHEREAS, the integrity of the election process and the
16   trust of the electorate in the electoral system should not be
17   allowed to diminish; and
18   
19        WHEREAS, several other election-related issues have been
20   raised this year including an evaluation of the job performance
21   of the Chief Election Officer to continue in that position; and
22   
23        WHEREAS, it may be time to examine Hawaii's election
24   system  in comparison to other states to see if any difference
25   might account for the public's dwindling confidence in the
26   system; now, therefore,
27   
28        BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twentieth Legislature
29   of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 1999, the House of
30   Representatives Senate concurring, that the Legislative
31   Reference Bureau is requested to compare certain aspects of
32   Hawaii's election system against other states, specifically:
33   
34        (1)  Primary election dates and types, such as whether the
35             primary is open or closed;
36   

 
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 1        (2)  The format of elections, including mail-in ballots,
 2             or absentee ballots;
 3   
 4        (3)  The process and parameters of elections such as
 5             appeals and recounts; and
 6   
 7        (4)  Other factors which might affect ease of electoral
 8             participation or increasing public confidence in the
 9             elections process;
10   and
11   
12        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference
13   Bureau is requested to report findings and recommendations to
14   the Legislature no later than twenty days before the convening
15   of the Regular Session of 2000; and
16   
17        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this
18   Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Acting Director of
19   the Legislative Reference Bureau.
20 
21 
22 
23                           OFFERED BY: ___________________________