On Oct. 19, the state Supreme Court invalidated a constitutional amendment question on the funding of public education because the wording was unclear. Hawaii’s four counties argued that voters would find terms like “surcharge” and “investment real property” confusing — and the justices found in their favor.
Whether or not one agrees with the court’s decision, this debate did make one thing perfectly clear: Hawaii is in desperate need of an official voters’ guide.
In a few days, voters in Honolulu will choose among multiple candidates for state and federal offices. They will also be asked if Hawaii should hold a constitutional convention and whether or not the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) board should be expanded. We could all use some help from an unbiased source, especially about candidates for offices that get less media attention, such as the state House of Representatives and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.
One might think that in Hawaii — a state infamous for its low voter turnout — our Office of Elections would do everything possible to provide more information to voters, including publishing a voters’ guide. Well, don’t check your mailbox, because you won’t be receiving anything.
Despite the fact that a voters’ pamphlet is among the cheapest and most effective ways to help citizens make an informed choice, our Office of Elections hasn’t produced one since 2004. Election officials determined that it was too difficult to explain ballot questions in an unbiased manner. Even more puzzling, they decided that providing basic candidate information borders on campaigning.
How is it, then, that the other Pacific states — Alaska, California, Oregon and Washington — which often have multiple ballot initiatives, manage to produce helpful voters’ guides? Indeed, in 16 states across the nation, the office of elections is required to publish and distribute a voter information pamphlet.
In Alaska, for example, state law requires that a pamphlet be mailed to every household with a registered voter. Alaska’s guide includes photos and campaign statements from the candidates for every office as well as a map of electoral districts, detailed information on each ballot measure, and two pages of material submitted by each political party. This investment in civic knowledge costs Alaska a whopping 67 cents per copy.
Are voters’ guides effective? Nearly every study indicates that they are.
First, voters read them and find them useful. One survey of Californians found that a majority of people who read their guide considered it their most important source of election information.
Second, voters’ guides can level the playing field for candidates who are unable to raise large sums of money. In many states, all candidates are given the opportunity to communicate directly to voters through a brief written statement included in the pamphlet.
Finally, voters’ guides reduce what is known as “voter drop-off rates,” which occur when citizens don’t vote on certain questions or for certain offices. This is often because they simply have no idea who the candidates are or any understanding of the ballot questions — and a voters’ guide can help. One study from Washington State found that the number of blank votes dropped significantly after the state issued its voters’ pamphlet.
It’s clear that our election officials won’t voluntarily publish a voters’ guide, so the Legislature should mandate that they do so. It’s a cheap and effective way to improve Hawaii’s civic health. We could use the help.
Colin Moore is an associate professor of political science and director of the Public Policy Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.
