Bill > HB473

This bill establishes an automatic voter preregistration and registration process for students aged 16 and older in Hawaii, beginning January 1, 2026. The legislation aims to increase voter participation and civic engagement by requiring public, charter, and private schools to provide voter registration affidavits to eligible students between January 1 and January 31 each year. Students can choose to preregister or register to vote or opt out of the process. The bill mandates that school administrators (including the superintendent of education, charter school authorizers, and private school administrators) collaborate with the office of elections to distribute these affidavits, with strict guidelines prohibiting them from maintaining, scanning, or copying the documents. The legislation is founded on the legislature's findings that voting at a young age can create lifelong voters and help address Hawaii's historically low voter registration and turnout rates. Each school type (public, charter, and private) is authorized to adopt policies to facilitate student voter preregistration, including online and in-person options, while ensuring the process remains voluntary and students' personal information is protected.

Education

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=473&year=2026