Letter to Lawmakers on Voting in a Pandemic
We, therefore, respectfully ask, that the legislative branch exercise its oversight authority over the State Office of Elections and County Clerks to ensure that the 2020 Hawaii elections are conducted with the health and safety of voters and elections staff inmind and at a minimum require a portion of the nearly $3.3 million CARES Act funding for election security be used for:
· Additional Voter Service Centers in all counties in convenient locations and open during convenient hours.
· Additional drop boxes in all counties in convenient locations, such as being co-located in essential businesses, e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies, and open during convenient hours.
· Enacting an actual plan for voting during a pandemic and including interested non-partisan stakeholders in the discussions for how to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus in relation to the 2020 elections.