SB 2461: Office of Elections; Digital Voter Information Guide; Candidates; Questionnaire

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO VOTER INFORMATION.

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

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that it is beneficial for voters in the State to have as much information as possible about a candidate running for office, including a candidate's position on pertinent issues.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the office of elections to:

     (1)  Prepare a questionnaire to which a candidate may respond; and

     (2)  Publish a candidate's responses to the questionnaire:

          (A)  On the office's website; and

          (B)  In the digital voter information guide.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part VIII to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§11-    Candidate questionnaire; requirements; publication of candidate responses.  (a)  Beginning with the 2028 primary election, before each election cycle, the office of elections shall prepare a candidate questionnaire with the following questions:

     (1)  "What are your three legislative priorities?";

     (2)  "What committees would you like to be a member of if elected?"; and

     (3)  "What is your vision for the State ten years from now?".

     (b)  The office of elections shall issue the candidate questionnaire to each candidate running for a public office within       days from the date that a candidate files their nomination papers.

     (c)  It shall be optional for a candidate to respond to any question on the questionnaire described in subsection (a).  Should a candidate choose to respond to a question, the candidate shall provide a written response of not more than one hundred words to the office of elections.

     (d)  The office of elections shall publish a candidate's written responses, if any:

     (1)  On its website; and

     (2)  In the digital voter information guide,

no later than eighteen days before the day of the primary election."

     SECTION 3.  Section 11-122, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  The digital voter information guide shall include:

     (1)  A photograph and short statement of less than one hundred fifty words for each candidate running for public office, to be prepared by the candidate; provided that the office of elections may uniformly limit the number of words for the candidate statement by applicable public office;

     (2)  The written responses to the candidate questionnaire of each candidate, if any, pursuant to section 11-  ;

    [(2)] (3)  The explanation drafted by the department of the attorney general of each state constitutional amendment that will be proposed to voters in the next general election pursuant to section 11-118.5(b); provided that the department of the attorney general shall transmit the materials required by this paragraph to the office of elections no later than seventy-five days before the general election;

    [(3)] (4)  A clear and concise explanation, drafted by the appropriate county corporation counsel, for each proposed county charter amendment, proposed initiative, and proposed referendum issue; provided that the respective corporation counsel shall:

          (A)  Translate the explanation into Olelo Hawaii and any other languages required under the federal Voting Rights Act, as specified by the office of elections; and

          (B)  Transmit the materials required by this paragraph to the office of elections no later than seventy‑five days before the general election; and

    [(4)] (5)  Information regarding mailing deadlines, places of deposit locations, same day voter registration, accessible voting locations, and opening hours of voter service centers."

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.

Report Title:

Office of Elections; Digital Voter Information Guide; Candidates; Questionnaire

Description:

Requires the Office of Elections to prepare a questionnaire to which candidates may respond.  Requires the Office of Elections to publish any responses provided by a candidate on its website and in the digital voter information guide no later than eighteen days before a primary election.  Effective 1/1/2027.  (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to voter information.

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

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that it is beneficial for voters in the State to have as much information as possible about a candidate running for office, including a candidate's position on pertinent issues.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require the office of elections to:

     (1)  Prepare a questionnaire of certain issues to which a candidate may respond; and

     (2)  Publish a candidate's responses to the questionnaire

          (A)  On the office's website; and

          (B)  In the digital voter information guide.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part VIII to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§11-     Candidate questionnaire; requirements; publication of candidate responses.  (a)  Beginning with the 2028 primary election, before each election cycle, the office of elections shall:

     (1)  Prepare a candidate questionnaire comprising not more than ten questions; and

     (2)  Issue the candidate questionnaire to each candidate running for a public office within       days from the date that a candidate files their nomination papers.

     (b)  The questions shall be based on:

     (1)  Major recurring budget items funded by the State within the past ten years;

     (2)  Significant bills introduced in the two most recent regular legislative sessions;

     (3)  Tax policy, including a comparison of the State's overall tax burden, income tax rates, general excise tax, corporate taxes, and taxes on essentials in comparison to other states; and

     (4)  A comparison of the State's infrastructure and public schools rank to those of other states with respect to the amount that the State taxes individuals per capita.

     (c)  A candidate who chooses to respond to any question on the candidate questionnaire shall provide a written response to the office of elections; provided that a written response to a question based on subparagraphs b(3) or (4) shall describe the candidate's position on the reform or maintenance of:

     (1)  The State's tax code; and

     (2)  The areas described in paragraph b(4).

     (d)  The office of elections shall publish a candidate's written responses, if any:

     (1)  On its website; and

     (2)  In the digital voter information guide,

no later than eighteen days before the day of the primary election."

     SECTION 3.  Section 11-122, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:

     "(b)  The digital voter information guide shall include:

     (1)  A photograph and short statement of less than one hundred fifty words for each candidate running for public office, to be prepared by the candidate; provided that the office of elections may uniformly limit the number of words for the candidate statement by applicable public office;

     (2)  The written responses to the candidate questionnaire of each candidate, if any, pursuant to section 11-   ;

    [(2)] (3)  The explanation drafted by the department of the attorney general of each state constitutional amendment that will be proposed to voters in the next general election pursuant to section 11-118.5(b); provided that the department of the attorney general shall transmit the materials required by this paragraph to the office of elections no later than seventy-five days before the general election;

    [(3)] (4)  A clear and concise explanation, drafted by the appropriate county corporation counsel, for each proposed county charter amendment, proposed initiative, and proposed referendum issue; provided that the respective corporation counsel shall:

          (A)  Translate the explanation into Olelo Hawaii and any other languages required under the federal Voting Rights Act, as specified by the office of elections; and

          (B)  Transmit the materials required by this paragraph to the office of elections no later than seventy‑five days before the general election; and

    [(4)] (5)  Information regarding mailing deadlines, places of deposit locations, same day voter registration, accessible voting locations, and opening hours of voter service centers."

     SECTION 4.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect on January 1, 2027.

Report Title:

Office of Elections; Digital Voter Information Guide; Candidates; Questionnaire

Description:

Requires the Office of Elections to prepare a questionnaire on certain issues to which candidates may respond.  Requires the Office of Elections to publish any responses provided by a candidate on its website and in the digital voter information guide no later than eighteen days before a primary election.  Effective 1/1/2027.

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

STAND. COM. REP. NO. 2502

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:     S.B. No. 2461

        S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Sir:

     Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2461 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO VOTER INFORMATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

     The purpose and intent of this measure is to:

     (1)  Require the Office of Elections to prepare a questionnaire on certain issues to which candidates may respond; and

     (2)  Require the Office of Elections to publish any responses provided by a candidate on its website and in the digital voter information guide no later than eighteen days before a primary election.

     Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the League of Women Voters of Hawaii and one individual.

     Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Office of Elections.

     Your Committee finds that including information regarding a candidate's positions on relevant issues in the digital voter information guide would benefit voters in the State by empowering voters to make informed decisions when voting.  This measure will therefore reduce the number of low-information voters and boost civic engagement.

     Your Committee notes the concern raised by the Office of Elections that it does not possess the subject matter expertise to develop questions on policymaking, nor does the Office believe that it would be appropriate for it to determine and frame questions that may influence a voter's thought process.  Therefore, amendments to this measure are necessary to address this concern.

     Your Committee has amended this measure by:

     (1)  Inserting language to specify the questions that shall appear on the candidate questionnaire;

     (2)  Deleting language that would have required the Office of Elections to develop questions on policymaking for the candidate questionnaire based on certain criteria;

     (3)  Clarifying that it shall be optional for a candidate to respond to any question on the questionnaire;

     (4)  Specifying that should a candidate respond to a question, the response shall be written and be less than one hundred words;

     (5)  Amending section 1 to reflect its amended purpose; and

     (6)  Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity and consistency.

     As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2461, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2461, S.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Ways and Means.

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