ASSOCIATION OF HAWAIIAN CIVIC CLUBS
A RESOLUTION
No. 2019 -23
CALLING FOR SUPPORT OF THE ENGAGEMENT OF NATIVE HAWAIIANS IN THE 2020 ELECTIONS THROUGH DIRECT ACTION IN THE COMMUNITY
WHEREAS, the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs is the oldest Native Hawaiian community-based grassroots organization, founded in 1918 by Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole; and
WHEREAS, the engagement of Native Hawaiians in the civic life of their community is one of the primary goals of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs; and
WHEREAS, only 52.7 percent of registered voters cast ballots during Hawai‘i’s 2018 general election; and
WHEREAS, there are many policies that impact Native Hawaiians at the county, state, and federal levels and voting is the simplest and most effective way to have a voice in the policy-making process; and
WHEREAS, the engagement of the lāhui in regards to the issue of the proposed Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea presents a significant opportunity to push for further political participation among Native Hawaiians; and
WHEREAS, the presidential election will also substantially increase the visibility of all races in the 2020 elections; and
WHEREAS, during the 2020 elections, every registered voter in Hawai‘i will automatically receive a mail-in ballot for the first time, and eligible residents may register and vote in-person on the same day, making it the most accessible election in Hawai‘i’s history; and
WHEREAS, Hawai‘i residents who identify as Native Hawaiian or Part-Native Hawaiian comprise around 23 percent of the State’s population, meaning that Native Hawaiians have the potential to drastically affect the results of our elections; and
WHEREAS, there are many ways to help improve the engagement of Native Hawaiians in the electoral process, including by registering voters, hosting candidate forums, and organizing volunteer phone banks.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs at its 60th Annual Convention in Lahaina, Maui, in the malama of Welehu and the rising of Lāʻau Pau, this 16th day of November 2019, calling for support of the engagement of Native Hawaiians in the 2020 elections through direct action in the community; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a certified copies of this resolution be transmitted to the Chair of the ʻAha Hīpuʻu, the Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the CEO of the Kamehameha Schools, and the CEO of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, as well as the Governor of the State of Hawai‘i, President of the State Senate, Speaker of the State House of Representatives, Chair of the State Senate subject matter committee on Hawaiian Affairs, Chair of the State House subject matter committee on Hawaiian Affairs, and all County Mayors.
The undersigned hereby certifies that the foregoing Resolution was duly adopted in the malama of Welehu and the rising of Lāʻau Pau on the 16th day of November 2019, at the 60th Annual Convention of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs in Lahaina, Maui.
Hailama V. K. K. Farden, President
