Camron Hurt, State Director of Common Cause Hawaii, has voiced concerns about recent suggestions to remove ballot drop boxes as a response to chain of custody issues in Hawaii’s election system. In an op-ed originally published in Civil Beat, Hurt criticized the proposal, stating, “Can we be serious for a moment?” and called the idea “absolutely nonsensical.”
Hurt argued that eliminating drop boxes would reduce public access to voting rather than address the root causes of alleged voting irregularities reported in Hawaiʻi and Kauaʻi counties. He said investigations have identified some problems with ballot chain of custody but suggested solutions should focus on improved training for volunteers and staff at the Office of Elections, as well as possibly creating new positions dedicated to overseeing ballot collection.
“Instead of offering more trainings earlier to volunteers, instead of seeing if there is a need for more training at the Office of Elections, instead of creating a position to help oversee, educate and train individuals on ballot collection, they suggest cutting drop boxes,” Hurt wrote. He described this approach as “a direct assault on our democracy” and compared it to resistance against increasing day-of polling places.
Hurt noted that two House Republicans attended discussions on the issue and expressed hope that their involvement would lead to bipartisan support for measures such as funding additional polling stations and drop boxes, recruiting and training election workers, and expanding resources for the State Ethics Commission.
“My hope is leveled out by my reality, however. It seems some legislators are more interested in stoking a flame than actually creating a comprehensive solution to benefit the people and advance our democracy,” he stated.
He acknowledged Sen. Brenton Awa’s willingness to engage with Common Cause Hawaii: “To his credit, Sen. Brenton Awa has expressed an openness to speak with Common Cause and we are greatly appreciative for this attitude.” Hurt urged other lawmakers not to focus solely on grievances without offering constructive solutions.
“The answer to those irregularities is not to strip away access to voting, it is rather to demand that our tax dollars, our investment in this system, be run more efficiently with complete transparency,” Hurt said. He emphasized that vulnerable groups such as kūpuna should not lose access due to administrative failures.
Hurt concluded by calling for independent oversight from election commissions and warned against policies that penalize voters for bureaucratic shortcomings: “Anyone seeking a plan that penalizes the people over the failures of bureaucracy could be a part of that swamp they seek to drain, be aware.”
