What are all these questions on my ballot?
Consider the dense sections of text that Hawaii voters sometimes see on their general election ballots—the questions on state constitutional amendments or county charter amendments.
How many of us rush through them, guessing what position to take—and how many of us just ignore them all together?
Because our state constitution and county charters are documents that establish how our state and counties are run, changes to these documents can have as great an impact on the way we live as the candidates we elect into office.
That is why your ILWU Political Action Committee (PAC) looks carefully at state constitutional and county charter amendments and makes voting recommendations on them. Your union understands that busy working families don’t always have time to research each issue on the ballot, and wants to make sure you are informed about the ILWU’s position on these issues.
Hawaii Constitution
The state of Hawaii has a governing document called a constitution, made up of the basic rules and principles by which our state is run. Our state constitution protects our rights as citizens, prohibits discrimination, and even specifically states that we remain mindful of “our Hawaiian heritage and uniqueness as an island state.”
State elections, the legislature, taxation, education, public health, land use and more are ruled by our constitution.
In Hawaii, constitutional amendments can only be put on the ballot if referred by the legislature, or if a constitutional convention is convened to propose amendments. Constitutional amendments have the potential to fundamentally change the way state government operates, even at its highest levels.
County charters set the rules and responsibilities of county government, including the make-up of the county council, how many employees are hired in county offices, and the duties and functions of important departments such as planning, police, water supply, and transportation. County charter amendments generally modify administrative policies and procedures, but may even have the ability to make political changes—for example, by providing more transparency in county decision-making.
Support union recommendations
Whether ILWU members believe constitutional and charter amendments have large or small effects on our lives, we should not give up the opportunity to vote on them. Workers have a say on how our government is run and it is very important to exercise that right. The ILWU believes its recommendations are the best choices for working people who support a fair, well-run government.
