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This coming Tuesday our community will engage in one of our most important civic duties -- voting.
Statewide, approximately only 40 percent of registered voters participated in the recent August primary election and between 50 to 60 percent of registered voters participated in the most recent general elections.
This low voter turnout rate wasn't always the case. In our first few decades of statehood, approximately three-quarters of registered voters in Hawaii regularly came out to vote.
I would like to urge everyone in the community to rekindle their civic awareness and vote to help choose our leaders for the coming years at the federal, state and county levels.
Along with casting votes for your respective government representatives, your ballot will also include a Constitutional Convention question and proposed amendments to the Maui County Charter.
The first question on the back of your ballot is whether there shall be a Constitutional Convention to propose a revision of or amendments to the Hawaii Constitution. Currently, the state constitution requires this question be posed to the electorate every 10 years.
The last convention took place in 1978 and brought fundamental changes to the way our state is run with 34 amendments to the state constitution. Notably, the convention established term limits for state officeholders, added a balanced-budget requirement, created the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, and gave the counties sole control over real property tax.
The state Legislature also authorized a constitutional amendment to appear on the ballot to allow itself to place a surcharge on investment real property to support public education. However, the Hawaii Supreme Court invalidated the ballot question due to wording that was not sufficiently clear. State law provides that the "language and meaning of a constitutional amendment shall be clear and it shall be neither misleading or deceptive."
It is important to note that the question for the amendment will still be included on your ballot, but any votes for or against the measure will not be counted and will have no impact.
Voters will also weigh in on three potential amendments to the Maui County Charter. All three changes were proposed by the County Council and approved by resolution for placement on the general election ballot.
The first proposal asks whether claims should be filed with Department of the Corporation Counsel instead of the County Clerk. Currently, the County Clerk's Office accepts the claims and subsequently passes them on to the Department of Corporation Counsel. This amendment is meant to streamline this process.
The second asks whether the penalty for the operation of a transient accommodation without a necessary permit should be increased from the current $1,000 amount to a civil fine of up to $20,000 plus $10,000 per day for each day the unlawful operation persists. If approved, this change could help effectively deter illegal short-term rentals from operation.
The last charter amendment, if approved, would allow funding from the Open Space, Natural Resources, Cultural Resources and Scenic Views Preservation Fund to be used to perform safety and security improvements on lands acquired through the fund. The fund can currently only be used to acquire land for land conservation purposes, not related improvements to ensure safety and security on the lands.
To find your polling place, please visit olvr.hawaii.gov/altpollingplacesearch.aspx.
Our state also allows for same-day voter registration at the polling stations. You will need to provide valid identification, such as your driver's license or a state ID.
Elections are your primary tool to help shape the future of our community, state and even nation. Go out and vote!
* Mike White is chair of the Maui County Council. He holds the council seat for the Paia-Haiku-Makawao residency area. "Chair's 3 Minutes" is a weekly column to explain the latest news on county legislative matters. Go to mauicounty.us for more information.