STAND. COM. REP. NO.  866-16

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2016

RE:   H.B. No. 1590

      H.D. 2

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2016

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred H.B. No. 1590, H.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to create a process to make the advantage of being the first candidate listed on a ballot a random event by requiring the Chief Election Officer to:

     (1)  Select a letter of the alphabet by lot and arrange the candidate names on ballots in alphabetical order by last name, beginning with the randomly selected letter;

     (2)  Provide notice to voters and candidates of the order that the candidates will be listed on the ballot by a method suited for the voting system; and

     (3)  Establish procedures to implement the foregoing process for elections beginning January 1, 2018.

A concerned individual supported this measure.  The League of Women Voters of Hawaii opposed this measure.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Changing its effective date to July 1, 2030, to facilitate further discussion; and

     (2)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1590, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1590, H.D. 2.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair