Chad Blair is the politics editor for Civil Beat. You can reach him by email at cblair@civilbeat.org or follow him on Twitter at .
The state Office of Elections has added a Rumors Vs. Facts page on its website to combat widespread disinformation.
Allegations that voter rolls are dated. Accusations that ballots are not secure. Demands for greater voter signature verification. Insistence on manual audits of elections.
Election deniers and so-called 鈥渆lection integrity鈥 advocates who have been active on the U.S. mainland during the Trump years 鈥 especially since 2020 鈥 are also increasingly active in Hawaii.
Coming primarily from Republicans, lengthy complaints and accusatory queries have been lodged at every recent public meeting of the , including one .
To counter the narrative, the posted a section on its website in March. Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago said it was done to address 鈥渆lection mis-, dis- and mal- information鈥 and 鈥渢o disseminate correct information to the voting public.鈥
Since the page鈥檚 launch, more than 350 people have visited it.
鈥淲e of course hope to get more eyes on the page, and to our website overall, as we think it鈥檚 important that voters have somewhere to turn to for trusted information,鈥 Nago said.
The outreach is not limited to the website. The elections office鈥檚 March newsletter included a link to the page (click here to sign up ). It has also asked partner organizations such as the League of Women Voters to help spread the word.
Items from the Rumors Vs. Facts page are also being posted in pop quiz format on X, Facebook and Instagram. Here鈥檚 an example:
Pop-Quiz! Test how well you know the election process in Hawaii.
— elections808 (@elections808)
Nago said his office has gathered common questions over the years from voter phone calls, emails and community outreach. It became the basis for the topics covered in Rumors Vs. Facts.
Also consulted were government agencies with similar pages, such as the federal and the . Both make available online reality versus fiction resources about elections, security and misinformation.
So far, the Hawaii elections facts page lists 16 rumors and their factual corrections. Topics include voter registration, voter fraud, mailed ballots, ballot processing, election day voting, election results and post-election issues.
Regarding those demands for audits mentioned earlier, for example, the Office of Elections conducts a post-election audit on 10% of randomly selected districts and precincts 鈥 something required under state law. Election officials compile a tally of expected results and compare that to the results tabulated from voting equipment.
And about those charges that voter rolls are largely inaccurate, the elections offices says officials work 鈥渃ontinuously鈥 to make sure they are accurate. Voter list maintenance is done by the four County Elections Divisions, which must follow the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 in determining when to remove a voter from a voter roll.
Civil Beat opinion writers are closely following efforts to bring more transparency and accountability to state and local government 鈥 at the Legislature, the county level and in the media. Help us by sending ideas and anecdotes to sunshine@civilbeat.org.
The process involves identifying mailing addresses that are undeliverable, or if a voter no longer resides at the address or if a voter is deceased or has felony convictions, based on government records.
鈥淚f a voter does not update their registration, they are flagged as inactive,鈥 the facts page explains. 鈥淰oters who do not update their registration within two general elections are then removed from Hawaii鈥檚 voter rolls.鈥
Nago said his office intends to update the Rumors Vs. Facts page based on the types of questions it receives during the election cycle.
That could be an ongoing project, judging from current events.
The nonprofit law and public policy institute Brennan Center for Justice says 鈥渁re driving attempts to interfere鈥 with the independent, nonpartisan counting of votes and certification of election results, even though the 2020 election was 鈥
The center, named after former Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr., observes, 鈥淚t is no accident that now 鈥 in the face of the Big Lie that Donald Trump actually won 鈥 these officials are a prime target in the attempt to interfere with our elections.鈥
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Oh, isn't it just delightful how our state excels in both IQ and political diversity? Truly, it's a testament to our collective brilliance and the flourishing democratic landscape. Complaints about voter rolls, ballot security, and signature verification? Clearly, the result of our profound understanding of complex electoral systems. Who needs a functioning multi-party system when we have such an enlightened majority?The Hawaii State Elections Commission must be thrilled to address the sophisticated inquiries from our well-educated populace. I mean, 350 visits to the "Rumors Vs. Facts" page? Astounding! That's almost a fraction of a fraction of our population, showcasing just how engaged and discerning we are.And let's not overlook the breathtakingly innovative idea of quizzes on social media. Who wouldn't want to test their knowledge on voter fraud myths between cat videos and vacation photos?So, here's to our unparalleled wisdom and the singular political party that guides us through these murky waters of electoral integrity. After all, who needs multiple viewpoints when one is clearly enough for such a brilliantly educated state? Bravo, Hawaii. Bravo.
HauulaHaole·
6 months ago
Yes, systems are in place, but do they actually get carried out? The idea of a mailed ballot being returned if the recipient doesn't live there as a way of cleaning up the voter role is ludicrous. If you are honest, you are either too busy or too lazy to return it. If you are dishonest, you will use it. I suggest if you do not vote in an election, you do not receive a ballot until you re-register.
Critical_Thinker·
6 months ago
Thanks for an informative article, Chad Blair. Lucky we live in Hawaii!
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