The state Election Commission voted on Oct. 29 to ask the Legislature to authorize an independent audit of the 2024 election and directed the chair to send a separate commission letter urging lawmakers to consider returning to same-day, in-person voting.

The actions followed a lengthy meeting that included a staff report on verbatim minutes, sustained discussion among commissioners, and several hours of public testimony. Chief Election Officer Scott Nago told the commission the Office of Elections had examined options for producing verbatim minutes and found "two options for verbatim minutes: use the Zoom transcript or transcribe manually," noting that manual transcription typically takes about four hours of work for every hour of meeting time.

The commission approved the request for a legislative audit on a roll-call vote. It then approved a separate commission letter recommending the Legislature consider reverting to in-person, same-day voting; the chair said he would draft that letter in coordination with Commissioner Lindsey Kam and include the commissionvote totals.

Why it matters: The 2024 general election and subsequent review by permitted-interaction groups (PIGs) prompted public concern about recordkeeping for ballots returned by mail. Commissioners and members of the public repeatedly asked for USPS business-reply-mail (BRM) receipts and for chain-of-custody records to reconcile county counts with the statewide results. The commissionsaid it will seek independent review so legislators can weigh policy changes.

What staff told the commission: Scott Nago summarized options for meeting-records requests. "We did submit our Oct. 22 letter. We looked into the motion to research the cost and timing of verbatim minutes. We found there were two options for verbatim minutes: use the Zoom transcript or transcribe manually," Nago said. He told commissioners the Zoom transcript feature is included in the state subscription at no extra cost, while manual transcription requires staff time and resources.

Public testimony: The meeting drew sustained public comment. Many speakers, including retired Deputy Attorney General James Raymond, urged the commission to retain mail-in voting. "Iam submitting this testimony in strong support of mail-in voting," Raymond said during the public-comment period. Representatives of the League of Women Voters, Common Cause and other civic groups also urged retaining vote-by-mail and called for data-driven oversight rather than immediate policy reversals.

Concerns raised: Multiple public speakers and some commissioners cited a PIG finding that suggested a mismatch between county-level package counts and statewide totals for certain islands; one public statement cited a difference of about 19,042 ballots on the Big Island. Commissioners asked whether USPS BRM receipts and county transfer manifests could be produced to reconcile counts. The deputy attorney general advised the commission that subpoenas may be used only in connection with evidentiary hearings authorized by the commission.

Commission action and next steps: The commission voted to ask the Legislature for a statewide audit of the 2024 election; the commission also authorized a separate letter, to be drafted by the chair in coordination with Commissioner Kam, recommending lawmakers consider returning to in-person, same-day voting and to include the commission's vote totals in that letter. The chair said he would circulate the draft to the designated commissioner before filing and ask the Legislature to acknowledge receipt and respond.

What the commission did not decide: Commissioners did not adopt a new policy on verbatim minutes; staff will continue to provide options for meeting records (Zoom transcripts and manual transcription) and cost estimates. The commission also did not issue subpoenas; legal counsel said that step would require authorization of an evidentiary hearing.

Looking ahead: The meeting recessed to reconvene the following Wednesday for additional agenda items and to give commissioners and the public time to review materials, including PIG documents and correspondence that had been submitted for the record.