Report Title:

Right to Vote; Constitutional Amendment

Description:

Proposes constitutional amendments to article II, section 1, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to repeal residency and registration requirements for voting; establishes a constitutional right to vote for citizens of Hawaii 18 years old and over.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1606

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

proposing an amendment to article ii, section 1, of the hawaii constitution to establish a citizen's right to vote.

 

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

SECTION 1. Findings and purpose. The legislature finds that the citizens of the State of Hawaii do not have a constitutional right to vote. The Constitution of the State of Hawaii allows a citizen to vote if the person is a "voter registered as provided by law" and has been a "resident of this State not less than one year next preceding the election." In Hawaii and other states and on the federal level, voting is a privilege granted to citizens at the discretion of the government through the enactment of laws.

The legislature finds that citizens have an inherent right to vote as part of their responsibility as citizens of the State, and that this right should not be hindered without just cause. The right to vote is necessary to effectuate the rule of one person, one vote, and to enable citizens to govern through the representative form of government. The legislature, therefore, believes that a constitutional right to vote should be established, that barriers to the exercise of this rights should be removed, and that government should encourage citizens to exercise this right.

The purpose of this Act is to propose a constitutional amendment to provide for the right to vote for citizens of the State by repealing the residency and registration requirement for voting.

SECTION 2. Article II, section 1, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii is amended to read as follows:

"QUALIFICATIONS

Section 1. Every citizen of the United States who shall have attained the age of eighteen years[, have been] and is a resident of this State [not less than one year next preceding the election and be a voter registered as provided by law], shall be qualified to vote in any state or local election[.]; provided that every citizen of this State shall have the right to vote in the primary and general elections in the State of Hawaii for governor, lieutenant governor, and members of the Hawaii legislature, mayor, county council and other officers of their respective county and voting district, and for all federal offices; provided further that this right shall not be denied or abridged by the State of Hawaii or any county."

SECTION 3. The question to be printed on the ballot shall be as follows:

"Shall every citizen of the State of Hawaii who has attained the age of eighteen years have a constitutional right to vote?"

SECTION 4. Constitutional material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New constitutional material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon compliance with article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.

INTRODUCED BY:

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