Bill > HB769

This bill establishes a Democracy Dollars Program to be administered by the Campaign Spending Commission, beginning with the 2028 elections, with the goal of improving Hawaii's electoral process by reducing the influence of wealthy donors and increasing citizen participation. Under the program, each eligible resident (a Hawaii resident at least 18 years old who is registered to vote) will receive four vouchers that can be assigned to qualified candidates running for specific state offices, including Governor, Lieutenant Governor, State Senator, State Representative, and Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee. To become a qualified candidate, individuals must meet several requirements, such as receiving a minimum number of small qualifying contributions, participating in nonpartisan debates, and agreeing to spend voucher funds only on direct campaign costs. The vouchers have no monetary value themselves but can be assigned by residents to help fund candidates' campaigns, with each office having different maximum voucher fund limits. The program aims to ensure that candidates can run competitive campaigns without relying heavily on wealthy donors, reduce potential corruption, enlarge public discussion of election issues, and restore public confidence in the electoral process. The Campaign Spending Commission will be responsible for designing, distributing, and managing the vouchers, as well as conducting ongoing reviews and audits of the program.

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https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=769&year=2026