Hawai‘i is one of only five states in the United States that does not allow “write-in” voting. As a result, in most situations, the voter is limited to one of only two individuals, with sometimes very little difference between the two candidates. Thus, it becomes even more important for the GPH to be on the ballot.

The GPH first appeared on the ballot in Hawai‘i in 1992 and has maintained ballot status for every election since. On the Big Island, where their County Council is elected by a “district” voting system, three members of the GPH have been elected seven times since 1992. On the Mainland, mayors, city council members and three state legislators have been elected when running in partisan races as a member of the Green Party.

Besides write-in voting, another progressive change would be to have “ranked” or “instant run-off” voting, which would allow voters to “rank” their preferences when there does appear more than just two people on the ballot, especially in “primary” races. This would avoid having to feel that one’s vote would not count when voting for a “third” or “alternative” party candidate. This could then allow the possibility of eliminating the primary and holding only a general election in November.

To sign the petition, one needs to be a registered voter in the State of Hawai‘i and perfectly follow the instructions. The state Office of Elections and the County Clerk’s office reject petitioners who incorrectly fill in their information.

To find out more about the petition drive, visit the GPH Website at www.greenhawaii.org, call me at 572-8787 or email nikhilananda@hawaiiantel.net.

Nikhilananda

Huelo

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