ADVISORY: As House Legislators Try to Bury Clean Elections Reform, Advocates to Rally At Capitol To Chart Path Forward And Hold Legislators Accountable
VOTERS WANT CLEAN ELECTIONS, DO LAWMAKERS? Rally with us to say 'a'ole to Big Money politics as usual!
After unanimously passing the Senate, House legislators are now TRYING TO KILL the overwhelming popular Clean Elections Bill to help end pay-to-play corruption, get money out of politics, and create a democracy more representative of local working families — not big money interests. 71% of likely Hawaii voters support this legislation, and only 12% oppose.
Join us at the Capitol on Monday at 2:30pm for a rally and press conference to hold them accountable and tell House leadership to do their jobs, stand up for democracy, and pass this legislation!
HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi — Yesterday afternoon, Thursday March 14th, at the Hawai‘i Capitol at a House Judiciary and Hawaiian Affairs Committee hearing, Chair David Tarnas — with the pre-orchestrated backing of most of his committee — “deferred” the overwhelming popular “Clean Elections” bill SB 2381 which would set comprehensive system of public financing of elections in Hawai‘i, which a new public poll of registered likely voters released just the day prior shows that 71% of voters support and only 12% oppose. Legislators still have multiple chances to do the right thing by democracy and pass this legislation.
The legislation was passed unanimously by the Senate last month and was introduced in the House by none other than House Speaker Saiki. It has been endorsed by every good government group in Hawai‘i, a broad and diverse coalition of dozens of advocates and former elected officials including Governors and Mayors. It has been referred to as the “one more shot” that legislators have to accomplish major reform before the election to deal with the fact that 2 in 3 voters believe legislators are “more focused on the interests of their wealthy donors than on the needs of my community,” and that 9 in 10 voters believe legislators become “obligated” to those who give them campaign money — 53% believing greatly so.
Advocates and members of the public will rally at a press conference on Monday at 2:30PM at the Capitol Rotunda to address the legislators and chart the path forward for creating an alternative to the pay-to-play campaign finance system that fosters a culture of corruption in our politics. We invite the media to join us.
WHAT: Rally and Press Conference Against Big Money Corruption of Politics
WHEN: Monday March 18th, 2024 @ 2:30pm HT
WHO: Concerned citizens and advocacy groups including Clean Elections Hawai‘i, Hawai‘i Workers Center, Common Cause Hawai‘i, Our Hawai‘i Action, Hawai‘i Alliance For Progressive Action, Indivisible Hawai‘i, ACLU Hawai‘i, and more
WHERE: Hawai‘i Capitol Rotunda, 415 S Beretania Street
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About Clean Elections Hawai‘i: The Clean Elections Hawaiʻi Coalition represents dozens of leading local organizations coordinating to advance a pro-democracy agenda in our islands and help end the corrupting influence of big money on our politics. Supporting organizations include: Common Cause Hawaiʻi, Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi, League of Women Voters of Hawaiʻi, Our Hawaiʻi Action, The Hawaiʻi Workers Center, Hawaii Alliance for Progressive Action, Lāhainā Strong, Free Access Coalition, Chamber of Sustainable Commerce, Global HOPE (Hawaiʻi Organization for Peace and the Environment), HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi Women’s Caucus, Friends of Makakilo, Kauhakō ʻOhana Association, Living Wage Hawaii, 350 Hawaiʻi, Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus, Imua Alliance, Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative, Our Revolution Hawaiʻi, LGF Consulting, Community Alliance Partners, Habitat for Humanity Hawaii Island, Going Home Hawaii, Young Progressives Demanding Action, HULI PAC, Holomua Collaborative, League of Women Voters of Honolulu, Malama Makua, Americans for Democratic Action Hawaii, Indivisible Hawaii, Kihei Community Association, Aloha ʻĀina Women’s Patriotic League, Clarity Project, Funder Hui, Saturation Point, Hawaii-Fi, Makawalu Creatives, Energy Transitions, Public Citizen, Rethink Media, and more.
For more information, contact team@cleanelectionshawaii.org
