Bill > HR176

This resolution requests that the Hawaii State Office of Elections establish a working group to explore improvements to the state's automatic voter registration (AVR) system. The resolution highlights Hawaii's historically low voter participation, noting that in the 2024 primary election, only 32.1 percent of registered voters cast ballots. The current AVR system is an opt-in model, which the resolution suggests is less effective at maximizing voter registration. The proposed working group would include representatives from the Office of Elections, Honolulu Department of Customer Services, Common Cause Hawaii, the League of Women Voters, and the Institute for Responsive Government. The group's primary task would be to develop recommendations for transitioning the AVR system to an opt-out model, which would make voter registration more streamlined and potentially increase democratic participation. The working group would be required to submit a report with findings and proposed legislation to the Legislature by late 2025, ahead of the 2026 legislative session. The resolution aims to address barriers to voter registration and improve overall voter engagement in Hawaii.

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https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HR&billnumber=176&year=2025