Hawaii Senate Bill SR109

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/16/26
• Refer: 3/19/26

Caption

Requesting The Governor To Appoint An Individual From Within The Office Of Elections To Temporarily Serve As The Acting Chief Election Officer In The Event Of A Vacancy.

Summary

SR109 is a Senate resolution requesting that the Governor designate an internal succession plan for the Office of Elections in the event the Chief Election Officer position becomes vacant. The resolution asks that the acting chief election officer be appointed from among specified office staff, in a stated order of succession: the supervisor of election support services, the general counsel, the supervisor of counting center operations, the supervisor of ballot operations, and the supervisor of voter services, each to serve if available. The resolution is framed as a continuity-of-government and election-integrity measure. It states that Hawaii law requires the Chief Election Officer to supervise elections and certify results, and argues that a vacancy without an interim successor could create legal uncertainty, disrupt election administration, and undermine public confidence in the electoral process. The measure does not itself amend the Hawaii Revised Statutes, but instead urges executive action to establish a temporary succession practice within the Office of Elections.

Impact

SR109 would not directly change statutory law or create a new legal office; it is a nonbinding Senate request to the Governor and Chief Election Officer. Its practical effect would be to encourage the establishment of an internal emergency succession order for the Chief Election Officer role, helping ensure that someone within the Office of Elections can continue to perform duties related to election administration, certification, and release of results if a vacancy occurs. The resolution is aimed at reducing the risk of administrative disruption and legal ambiguity under existing election law.

Sentiment

The available context suggests broad support for the resolution’s purpose, with the measure presented in a neutral-to-positive tone focused on preparedness, continuity, and election integrity. The text emphasizes the importance of stable election administration and the need to avoid gaps in authority during a vacancy. No committee testimony, recorded votes, or opposition statements are provided, so there is no evidence of organized dissent in the available record.

Contention

The main issue raised by the resolution is not partisan disagreement over elections generally, but the risk of uncertainty if the Chief Election Officer position becomes vacant without a designated interim successor. The resolution implicitly contends that the Governor should have a clear internal order of succession, while leaving the specific appointment decision to the executive branch. Any potential concern would likely center on whether such succession should be established by statute rather than by resolution, but no explicit opposition or competing viewpoint appears in the provided materials.