Bill > SCR101

This Concurrent Resolution requests the Office of Elections in Hawaii to form a working group to study the potential effects of lowering the minimum voting age to increase the number of people who vote. The resolution notes that Hawaii's voter turnout has been among the lowest in the nation, despite efforts like conducting elections by mail, and that young people are given adult responsibilities before they can vote. The working group will examine the advantages and disadvantages of a lower voting age, look at how other places have handled changes to their voting age, consider if a lower age should apply to all elections or just some, and determine what steps would be needed to make such a change in Hawaii. The group will include the Chief Election Officer, the Dean of the University of Hawaii's law school, the Superintendent of the Department of Education, and a community representative focused on civic engagement, and will also invite student representatives. The working group is tasked with submitting a report of its findings and any proposed legislation to the Hawaii Legislature by early 2023.