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SB2735
THE SENATE
S.B. NO.
2735
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII
A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating
to election watchers
.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
����
SECTION
1
.
�
Chapter 11, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
amended by amending the title of part VI to read as follows:
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"
PART VI.
�
[
VOTER SERVICE
CENTER
]
ELECTION
WATCHERS"
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SECTION
2
.
�
Section 11-77,
Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
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"
�11-77
�
Appointment of
election
watchers; service.
�
(a)
�
Election
watchers shall be appointed in the following manner:
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(1)
�
Each qualified political party shall be
entitled to appoint [
no
]
not
more than one watcher [
who may be
present at any time at a voter service center
].
�
Each party shall submit [
its list of
watchers
]
the name of its watcher
no later than 4:30 p.m. on the
twentieth day before any election to the clerk[
.
]
;
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(2)
�
Not less than one watcher from the
news media; and
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(3)
�
Additional watchers as space and
facilities permit as designated by the clerk.
All
watchers shall serve without expense to the county.
�
[
All
]
Except for any news media
watchers, all
watchers so appointed shall be registered voters.
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(b)
�
Election watchers appointed pursuant to this
section may be present at any time at a voter service center or any other
location where a clerk or county election official is handling a return
identification envelope or voted ballot, subject to reasonable restrictions as
established by the chief election officer or clerk.
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No watcher shall interfere with the orderly
process of the election.
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[
(b)
]
(c)
�
Each
election
watcher
shall be provided with identification from the clerk stating the watcher's name
and the name of the party the watcher represents[
.
]
or news media or
other affiliation.
�
Each watcher shall
visibly wear the identification while serving.
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(d)
�
Before the start of service as an election
watcher, each watcher shall take an oath or affirmation that will follow
applicable federal, state, and county election laws and rules.
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[
(c)
]
(e)
�
The watcher shall call the
attention of the clerk
, or election official,
to any violations of the
election laws that the watcher observes.
�
After the clerk's
, or election official's,
attention is called to
the violation, the clerk
, or election official,
shall make an attempt to
correct the violation.
�
If the clerk
,
or election official,
fails to correct the violation, the watcher may
appeal to the chief election officer."
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SECTION 3.
�
The chief election officer, with consultation from the county clerks,
shall establish a written policy for the 2026 general election.
�
By March 1, 2028, the chief election officer
shall adopt rules applicable for future elections.
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SECTION 4.
�
Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.
�
New statutory material is underscored.
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SECTION 5.
�
This Act shall take effect on August 9, 2026.
INTRODUCED BY:
_____________________________
Report Title:
Elections;
Election Watchers; News Media
Description:
Specifies
that each qualified political party may have one election watcher.
�
Allows the news media to act as election
watchers.
�
Allows the clerk to permit
additional election watchers.
�
Specifies
conditions for election watchers while serving.
�
Effective 8/9/2026.
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.