HB259 • 2026

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

Education Elections

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: ALCOS, IWAMOTO, MATSUMOTO, OLDS, REYES ODA, WARD
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact requirements or procedures for selecting and training volunteer support staff.

Voter Service Centers for Elections

This bill requires each county council district to have at least one voter service center during elections, prioritizes using public schools as centers, and mandates that the clerk advertise for volunteer support staff.

What This Bill Does

Requires each county council district to feature at least one voter service center for elections.
Prioritizes using public schools as voter service centers whenever possible.
Mandates that the clerk advertise for volunteer support staff for these centers.

Who It Names or Affects

Voters who will use voter service centers during elections.
County clerks responsible for setting up and advertising the voter service centers.

Terms To Know

voter service center: A place where voters can go to register, update their registration information, or vote in person during an election.
county council district: An area within a county that is represented by members of the local government's council.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if public schools are unavailable for use as voter service centers.
It is unclear how volunteer support staff will be selected and trained.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-01-21 H
Referred to JHA, FIN, referral sheet 1
2025-01-17 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-16 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.
Voter Service Centers; Elections; Accessibility
Requires that each county council district feature at least one voter service center for elections. Prioritizes using public schools as voter service centers. Requires the clerk to advertise for volunteers. Requires each county council district to have one voter service center open on election day.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB259

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

259

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to elections
.

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

����
SECTION
1
.
�
Section
11-92.1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

����
"
�11-92.1
�
Election proclamation;
establishment of a new precinct; voter service centers and places of deposit;
changes to precinct boundaries.
�

(a)
�
The clerk shall issue a
proclamation listing all voter service centers and places of deposit, including
the days each voter service center and place of deposit is open and the hours
of operations and location of each voter service center and place of deposit,
as may have been determined by the clerk as of the proclamation date and
whenever a new precinct is established in any representative district.
�
There shall be at least one voter service
center for each county council district.
�

The clerk shall use public schools as voter service centers whenever
practicable.
�
The clerk shall advertise
for volunteer support staff for voter service centers.
�
On election day, each county council district
shall feature one voter service center open for in-person voting.
�
The clerk shall make arrangements for the
rental or erection of suitable shelter for the establishment of a voter service
center whenever public buildings are not available and shall cause these voter
service centers to be equipped with the necessary facilities for lighting,
ventilation, and equipment needed for elections on any island.
�
This proclamation may be issued jointly with
the proclamation required in section 11-91.

����
(b)
�

No change shall be made in the boundaries of any precinct later than
4:30 p.m. on the tenth day before the close of filing for an election.

����
(c)
�

Notwithstanding subsection (a), and pursuant to section 15-2.5, the
clerk is not required to establish voter service centers for precincts affected
by natural disasters, as provided in section 15-2.5."

����
SECTION 2.
�
New statutory material is underscored.

����
SECTION 3.
�
This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2025.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Voter
Service Centers; Elections; Accessibility

Description:

Requires
that each county council district feature at least one voter service center for
elections.
�
Prioritizes using public
schools as voter service centers.
�

Requires the clerk to advertise for volunteers.
�
Requires each county council district to have one
voter service center open on election day.

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