Improved access to voting might improve turnout

Happy Fourth of July. What better way to celebrate America’s independence than by checking up on how we are doing with this democracy thing.

There is some good news because of a decade-long effort by the League of Women Voters to get same-day voter registration.

This year the Legislature passed, and Gov. Neil Abercrombie signed, a new law creating same-day voter registration in Hawaii in 2018, and in 2016, citizens with a state ID or driver’s license will be able to register to vote online.

Allowing unregistered voters to sign up on Election Day may not seem like much, but it makes for more voters and that makes for more people voting.

Remember that Hawaii is already famous for not voting. In 2012, our turnout was a paltry 44.5 percent, compared to the country’s best:Minnesota at 76.1 percent.

National studies have repeatedly shown that same-day voter registration moves the vote meter by as much as 10 percent.

North Dakota is the only state with no voter registration laws, if you have a valid ID, just show up and vote. Turnout in 2012 was more than 60 percent.

"Experience has shown that same-day voter registration is also effective in getting younger voters to the polls," said Hawaii League of Women Voters president Ann Shaver.

Carmille Lim, Common Cause Hawaii executive director, added that states with same-day voter registration have led the country in voter participation, with turnouts averaging 10 percent higher than states without.

This was not accomplished without some grumbling.

Hawaii’s only Republican in the state Senate, Hawaii Kai Republican Sam Slom, is criticizing the new law and says it is a danger.

"What concerns me is the responsibility for enforcing the new law lies with the same Hawaii Office of Elections that couldn’t even print enough ballots, or distribute the right ones in other (House and Senate) districts in 2012. So, we should address these factors and not simplify the registration process without proper oversight," said Slom in his weekly newsletter.

GOP fears of voter fraud seem to go along with Democratic charges of voter suppression in election years, but the numbers for same-day registration stand alone as a good thing.

"Five of the 10 states with the highest turnout in 2012 (Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Wisconsin) have some form of Election Day registration," reports a study done by NonprofitVote.org.

"In contrast, five of the lowest turnout states in 2012 (Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma and West Virginia) have more burdensome registration requirements."

Scott Nago, Hawaii’s chief elections officer, supports same-day and online registration and praised the League of Women Voters for its years of lobbying.

"It passed because of the League," Nago said in an interview. "They are the ones with the idea and they are the ones who went to the Legislature and lobbied. I give them a lot of credit."

Asked about concerns of voter fraud and fake voters trying to register, Nago said he has never seen a case come up since he has been chief elections officer.

"Our whole election is built on safeguards," Nago said.

Both precinct officials and any voter can challenge the registration of a voter on Election Day, Nago added.

Election registration fraud is a Class C felony, punishable by five years in jail — so there is a lot to be risked in order to get one more vote.

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays. Reach him at rborreca@staradvertiser.com.