STAND. COM. REP. NO.  1585

 

Honolulu, Hawaii

                , 2015

 

RE:   S.B. No. 364

      S.D. 2

      H.D. 1

 

 

 

 

Honorable Joseph M. Souki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-Eighth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2015

State of Hawaii

 

Sir:

 

     Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 364, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:

 

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTIONS,"

 

begs leave to report as follows:

 

     The purpose of this measure is to:

 

(1)  Establish a procedure by which an unsuccessful candidate in an election may petition the appropriate elections officer for a recount of ballots of the candidate's unsuccessful election, when the difference in votes between the successful and unsuccessful candidate is less than five hundred votes or one-quarter of one percent of votes cast, whichever is less;

 

(2)  Add unlawful activity and force majeure, and delete overages or underages, as causes for which a complaint to contest an election shall be limited; and

 

(3)  Require a complaint for a contest for cause to state why the alleged cause or causes might create a difference in the election success of one or more candidates.

 

     The Department of the Attorney General opposed this measure.  The Office of Elections provided comments.

 

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 364, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

 

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

 

 

 

 

____________________________

SYLVIA LUKE, Chair