Senate Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations (JGO) - chair: Taniguchi, vice chair: Takamine

Friday, February 5, 2010, 9:35 a,m. Conference Room 016

Testifier: Jean Aoki, LWV of Hawaii

Click here to view SB2335

Chair Senator Taniguchi, Vice Chair Senator Takamine, members of JGO, The League of Women Voters of Hawaii is in complete support of SB 2335 which would make things easier for voters overseas to have their votes reach our state in time to have them counted, and also to give those who arrive home after the deadline to register has passed , some leeway and rely on the judgements of the election officials to give them special consideration. The bill provides for electronic transmission of ballots, faxes, etc., as well as the use of the Federal Write-in absentee Ballot not only to vote but to use the transmission envelope's voter declaration as a request for registration and as an application for a state absentee vallot. Newspaper reports after the 2008 elections on the low number of military absentee ballots actually counted, as low as 30% of the overseas ballots, is a shameful indictment of a process long neglected. This bill will go a long way toward assuring our military personnel and their families and other overseas voters that their votes are needed and valued, and will be counted as long as they make the necessary effort to get them in. Thank you for this opportunity to testify in support of SB 2335 and in support of our brave men and women overseas.