Bill Text: HI HB175 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating To Voting.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-01-23 - Referred to JUD, referral sheet 1 [HB175 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2017-HB175-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	175
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

relating to voting.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the age qualification to vote in any federal, state, or local election is eighteen years of age.  However, there are individuals whose dates of birth fall between the primary and general elections and therefore, due to current age restrictions, they are unable to participate in the primary election, which determines the ballot for the general election in which they will later be eligible to vote.  Granting voting rights to these individuals to participate in the voting process may improve voter turnout among youths and better educate youths about the democratic process.

     The purpose of this Act is to allow an individual who is seventeen years of age and will be eighteen years of age on or before the next federal, state, or local election to register and vote at any federal, state, or local election.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding two new sections to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§11-    Changing register; registered voter age; prior to election day.  (a)  A registered voter who has reached the age of eighteen years or who is seventeen years of age and will be eighteen years of age by the date of the next federal, state, or local primary, general, or special election may notify the clerk to change the register to allow that person to vote at any federal, state, or local primary, general, or special election pursuant to section 11-12.

     (b)  Upon notification to change the register pursuant to subsection (a), if the clerk has evidence indicating that a voter's registration should be changed to allow that person to vote at any federal, state, or local primary, general, or special election, the clerk shall notify that person by first-class mail of the intent to change the registration.  The notification shall include:

     (1)  Any evidence indicating why a change should be made;

     (2)  Any evidence indicating that the age of the registered voter is less than eighteen years of age according to current registration lists;

     (3)  Any evidence indicating that the registered voter has attained the age of eighteen years or is seventeen years of age and will be eighteen years of age by the date of the next federal, state or local primary, general, or special election;

     (4)  A reply form that shall contain a space for the voter's agreement or objection to the registration change, the reasons for the objection, and space for the voter's signature; and

     (5)  Notice that unless the completed form is returned by 4:30 p.m. on the fifteenth day after mailing, the change shall be processed.

     (c)  The clerk shall update the register when notified by the registered voter or when the clerk has evidence indicating that a voter's registration should be changed to allow that person to vote at any federal, state, or local primary, general, or special election pursuant to section 11-12.

     §11-    Changing register; registered voter age; change on election day.  (a)  Registration clerks who may be designated by the county clerk to serve as an election official at any of the polling places in the county shall take applications from voters who have reached the age of eighteen years since the last election on the day of election.

     (b)  Any person who has attained the age of eighteen years and is eligible to vote at the federal, state, and local elections pursuant to section 11-12 may apply on a form prescribed by the chief elections officer on the day of the election.  The register shall be updated, and the person shall be eligible to vote at the federal, state, and local elections accordingly."

     SECTION 3.  Section 11-11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§11-11  Registration.  A person who registers as required by law shall be entitled to vote at any federal, state, or local primary, general, or special election provided that the person shall have attained the age of eighteen at the time of that respective election.  The county clerk shall be responsible for voter registration in the respective counties and the keeping of the general register and precinct lists within the county."

     SECTION 4.  Section 11-12, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

     "(a)  Every person who has reached the age of eighteen years or who is seventeen years of age and will be eighteen years of age by the date of the next federal, state, or local primary, general, or special election, and is otherwise qualified to register may do so for that respective election.  The person shall then be listed upon the appropriate county general register and precinct list.  No person shall register or vote in any other precinct than that in which the person resides except as provided in section 11-21."

     SECTION 5.  Section 11-14.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§11-14.5  Residence address; confidentiality.  (a)  If a life threatening circumstance exists to:

     (1)  A law enforcement person;

     (2)  The law enforcement person's family; or

     (3)  Persons otherwise determined by the clerk of the county in which the person is registered,

that person may apply to the county clerk in writing to keep confidential the information relating to the residence address and telephone number contained in the affidavit of registration of that person, or any list or register prepared therefrom.

     (b)  If the disclosure of the residence address or telephone number of a person would result in an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy or expose the person or a member of the person's family to risk of bodily harm, the person may apply to the chief election officer or county clerk to keep confidential the person's residence address and telephone number contained in the person's affidavit of registration, or any list or register prepared therefrom.

     (c)  In accordance with procedures and rules adopted by the chief election officer or county clerk to protect personal privacy, the chief election officer or county clerk shall not disclose the residence address or telephone number of a person who is under the age of eighteen and is registered to vote at any federal, state, or local election.

     [(c)] (d)  Upon good cause shown, the clerk shall determine whether to grant confidentiality in accordance with rules established by the chief election officer, and that decision shall be final.

     [(d)] (e)  If the voter registration of a person covered by this section is challenged, the clerk shall release the residence address of that person to the challenger pursuant to rules established by the chief election officer.  If an appeal is taken relating to the challenge, the residence address shall also be released to the appropriate appellate body."

     SECTION 6.  Section 11-15.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "[[]§11-15.5[]]  Duties of all state agencies; voter registration.  Each state agency that deals with the public shall make available to each member of the public who will be at least eighteen years of age [or older] by the date of the next federal, state, or local primary, general, or special election an application in the form of an affidavit for voter registration pursuant to section 11-15.  The application shall be available by mail or in person depending on the manner in which the agency's services are requested by the person.  The form of the application may be identical to that described and found in public telephone directories."

     SECTION 7.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 8.  This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2017.

 

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

 

 

Report Title:

Voter Registration; Voter Age

 

Description:

Allows an individual who is seventeen years of age and will be eighteen years of age on or before the next federal, state, or local primary, general, or special election to register for and vote at that respective election.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.