STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1260-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: S.B. No. 2162

S.D. 1

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs, to which was referred S.B. No. 2162, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO RANKED CHOICE VOTING,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to implement the use of ranked-choice voting for special elections held for congressional races in the State and vacant county council seats.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action, Common Cause Hawaii, Americans for Democratic Action Hawaii, FairVote Action, League of Women Voters, and thirteen individuals. Your Committee received testimony in opposition to this measure from one individual.

Your Committee finds that the existing plurality voting method in special elections allows a candidate to win an election without a majority of votes when there are more than two candidates for the office. However, ranked-choice voting is an election method that provides voters the ability to rank candidates in order of preference and has been used effectively in other jurisdictions.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the process in the event that there is a three-way tie between candidates for the most votes;

(2) Changing the effective date to January 1, 2222, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2162, S.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2162, S.D. 1, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs,

____________________________

MARK M. NAKASHIMA, Chair