The Need

We've all heard it said, "No vote, no grumble." In the islands today, we grumble more than
we vote. When Hawai‘i became a state in 1959, voter turnout was 84% in the primary
election – one of the highest in the U.S. By the 2008 primary, turnout was down to 37% –
among the lowest in the country. Many of us complain about issues like furloughs, taxes,
transportation, education, and the environment, but too few of us help elect the kind of
leaders who will address our concerns.

This year, our democracy faces another obstacle: With deep budget cuts and one-third of
polling places closed this year, our elections system is strugggling to support would-be
voters. There is a critical shortage of poll workers, and not enough help for people who want
to learn about the candidates, register, and vote.

The Campaign
Kanu Hawai‘i and Common Cause Hawai‘i are calling on all of us to exercise our civic
kuleana (responsibility and privilege) and help save our democracy. The goal of the Your
Vision |Your Vote campaign is to get 1,000 young people to lead the charge in the 2010
elections by volunteering to work the polls, helping register voters, and by voting
themselves.

We also want to help educate voters – young, old, and in between – about where the
candidates stand on issues related to the environment, compassion, and local economic self
reliance –the core areas of interest for our members. We'll ask candidates where they stand
and publish what we find at www.kanuhawaii.org/elections. You can visit that webpage for
more information and to contact the campaign organizers.

How You Can Help

Kanu Hawai‘i is seeking volunteers to help:

 Recruit Poll Workers. Reach out to groups of people (ages 16 and up) and
encourage them to work the polls on election day. We’ll provide everything you need to
reach out and sign people up, and connect you and those you recruit with poll worker
trainings by the Office of Elections.

 Help Register Voters. Reach out to your school, company, sports team, or civic
club and get people to register. We will provide the materials and help you answer any
questions others might have.

 Produce Content on Issues. Produce online content for members about important
issues in this election season. We are most interested in issues related to the
environment, compassion, and local economic self reliance. Content can be in written or
video format, e.g., interviews with candidates or issue experts, video clips about voting,
etc.

About the Campaign Partners

Kanu Hawai‘i is nonpartisan, nonprofit organization with 12,000 members worldwide. We
are building a movement drawing on island strengths to make Hawai‘i a model of
environmental sustainability, economic resilience and compassionate community. We
pursue this vision through an "island style" activism rooted in kuleana and aloha – changing
ourselves before pointing any fingers; trying to “be the change,” then standing together to
urge our neighbors, businesses, and government to change with us. Visit online
www.kanuhawaii.org.
Common Cause Hawai‘i is a state office of the national Common Cause organization.
Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to restoring the core
values of American democracy, reinventing an open, honest and accountable government
that serves the public interest, and empowering ordinary people to make their voices heard
in the political process. Visit online www.commoncause.org/HI.

For more information about Your Vision | Your Vote, contact Nikki Love
nlove@commoncausehi.org or James Koshiba james@kanuhawaii.org.