HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.C.R. NO.	223
TWENTY-EIGHTH LEGISLATURE, 2015
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the office of elections to convene a working group to consider the feasibility of lowering the voting age to sixteen years of age and to develop a pilot program.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, Hawaii's current voting age is eighteen years of age; and

 

     WHEREAS, minors in Hawaii may begin working at fourteen years of age, making them eligible to pay taxes; and

 

     WHEREAS, many of these teenagers have a desire to be involved in the political process and exercise their rights as citizens; and

 

     WHEREAS, reducing the voting age would increase public involvement in the political process; and

 

     WHEREAS, many teenagers, upon reaching eighteen years of age, leave for college where there is often little support, encouragement, or instruction to begin voting; and

 

     WHEREAS, reducing the voting age to sixteen years of age would guarantee high school students at least one opportunity to vote prior to graduation and allow voting and civic engagement to be built into educational curricula with adequate protections; and

 

     WHEREAS, once people begin voting, their likelihood of continuing to vote is much higher, meaning that high rates of voting in high school would lead to an increase in civic participation and voter turnout among all age groups in the long run; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-eighth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2015, the Senate concurring, that the Chief Election Officer is requested to convene a working group to:

 

     (1)  Consider the feasibility of lowering the voting age to sixteen years of age; and

 

     (2)  Develop a pilot program; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Election Officer is requested to serve as chair of the working group and to invite the following or their designee to serve as members of the working group:

 

     (1)  The Superintendent of Education;

 

     (2)  A Senator appointed by the Senate President;

 

     (3)  A member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

 

     (4)  A representative of Common Cause Hawaii; and

 

     (5)  Other members, as deemed appropriate by the Chief Election Officer; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group is requested to submit a report of its findings and recommendations, including any proposed pilot program details and proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the regular session of 2016; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Chief Election Officer, Superintendent of Education, and Chair of the Board of Common Cause Hawaii.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Voting Age; Pilot Program