The Hawaiʻi
State Constitutional Convention Clearinghouse
Information Related to Hawaiʻi's November 6, 2018 State Constitutional Convention Referendum
Polls
October 17, 2018
Blair, Chad, Civil Beat Poll: Voters Like The Idea Of A ConCon, They’re Just Not Going To Vote For It, Civil Beat, October 17, 2018.
Question #1
Every 10 years, Hawaii’s voters have the opportunity to call for a state constitutional convention. A constitutional convention would give Hawaii’s voters a chance to amend the state constitution without going through the legislature. The last time voters chose to hold a constitutional convention was in 1978. Whether or not to hold new constitutional convention will be on the ballot again in 2018. If it passes in 2018, voters will elect convention delegates, and the delegates will meet, and may recommend changes to the state constitution. Any changes the convention recommends would then go to Hawaii’s voters to either ratify or reject. Based on the information you have heard, would you support or oppose holding a constitutional convention in Hawaii, do you not know enough yet to have an opinion, or does it not matter to you much either way?
Support 47%
Oppose 32%
Need more info 19%
Doesn’t matter 0%
Not sure 2%
Total 100%
Question #2
Every 10 years, Hawaii’s voters have the opportunity to call for a state constitutional convention. Hawaii’s upcoming ballot in November will include the question: “shall there be a convention to propose a revision of, or amendments to, the Constitution?” Would you vote “yes” or “no” to holding a constitutional convention in Hawaii, or would you probably not vote either way on this ballot question?
Yes 26%
No 46%
Won’t vote on it 8%
Not sure 20%
Total 100%
Source: Blair, Chad, Civil Beat Poll: Voters Like The Idea Of A ConCon, They’re Just Not Going To Vote For It, Civil Beat, October 17, 2018.
October 17, 2018
Blair, Chad, Civil Beat Poll: Voters Want Term Limits For State Legislators, Civil Beat, October 17, 2018.
Another proposal would be to have term limits for members of the state legislature in Hawaii. Currently, county officials, as well as Hawaii’s governor and lieutenant governor have term limits, but state legislators do not. What do you think — would you support or oppose term limits for members of the Hawaii state legislature, or does it not matter to you much either way?
Support 70%
Oppose 14%
Doesn’t matter 8%
Not sure 8%
Total 100%
Another issue is a system of citizen initiatives, referendums, and recalls. These allow residents to make changes to laws and government through direct vote, rather than having to go through the legislature. Currently, about half the states in the U.S. have citizens’ initiatives, referendums, or recalls that allow their residents to make direct changes. What do you think – should Hawaii enact a system of citizen’s initiatives, referendums, and recalls or not, or does it not matter to you much either way?
Support 55%
Oppose 21%
Doesn’t matter 10%
Not sure 14%
Total 100%
Source: Blair, Chad, Civil Beat Poll: Voters Want Term Limits For State Legislators, Civil Beat, October 17, 2018.
September 26, 2018
Eagle, Nathan, In Hawaii, People Like Trump Better Than They Like The Legislature, Civil Beat,September 26, 2018.
Question:
Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the job
this person or political institution is currently doing?
Donald Trump, President of the United States
Approve: 28%
Somewhat Approve: 17%
Somewhat disapprove: 12%
Disapprove: 38%
DK/NA: 5%
The Hawai‘i State Legislature
Approve: 21%
Somewhat Approve: 35%
Somewhat disapprove: 17%
Disapprove: 15%
DK/NA: 11%
David Ige, Governor of Hawai‘i
Approve: 26%
Somewhat Approve: 33%
Somewhat disapprove: 15%
Disapprove: 17%
DK/NA:9%
The mayor of your county
Approve: 31%
Somewhat Approve: 28%
Somewhat disapprove: 11%
Disapprove: 17%
DK/NA: 12%
US Congress
Approve: 22%
Somewhat Approve: 28%
Somewhat disapprove: 14%
Disapprove: 26%
DK/NA: 9%
The Supreme Court of the United States
Approve: 30%
Somewhat Approve: 36%
Somewhat disapprove: 14%
Disapprove: 10%
DK/NA: 10%
Your county council
Approve: 31%
Somewhat Approve: 30%
Somewhat disapprove: 11%
Disapprove: 12%
DK/NA: 15%
Source: Eagle, Nathan, In Hawaii, People Like Trump Better Than They Like The Legislature, Civil Beat,September 26, 2018.
May 25, 2018
Blair, Chad, Civil Beat Poll: Hawaii Voters Seem Ready For A Constitutional Convention, Civil Beat, May 25, 2018.
Question:
Would you support a constitutional convention in Hawaii?
Source: Blair, Chad, Civil Beat Poll: Hawaii Voters Seem Ready For A Constitutional Convention, Civil Beat, May 25, 2018. You can download the poll results here. Comments on a variety of poll questions, including this one, can be found here.
December 11, 2017
Blair, Chad, Civil Beat Poll: Let’s Have A Constitutional Convention, Honolulu Civic Beat, December 11, 2017.
Question:
Would you support a constitutional convention in Hawaii?
Source: Blair, Chad, Civil Beat Poll: Let’s Have A Constitutional Convention, Honolulu Civic Beat, December 11, 2017.
December 12, 2017
Question:
Would you support or oppose term limits for members of the Hawaii state legislature,
or does it not matter much to you either way?
Source: Blair, Chad, Civil Beat Poll: Power To The People — Voters Want More Control, Honolulu Civic Beat, December 12, 2017.
Unscientific (Self-Selected) Polls
October 14, 2018
Question:
Should Hawaii hold a constitutional convention
to make changes to the state Constitution?
Source: Should Hawaii hold a constitutional convention to make changes to the state Constitution?, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, October 14, 2018. Polls results reported on Oct. 15, 2018.
Note: Was it good journalistic ethics that this question was placed in the Star-Advertiser on the same day the Star-Advertiser ran an op-ed highly hostile to calling a convention and three ads in its A-section echoing both the message and tone of the op-ed? This is the second Sunday edition during the last two weeks that the Star-Advertiser has run op-eds starkly hostile to calling a convention. Meanwhile, it has been months since it ran a non-staff oped either neutral or favorable to a convention, despite receiving at least two during the interim. This strongly telegraphs that its editorial page already plans to come out against a convention.
September 11, 2018
Question:
Do you agree with Friday’s ruling that keeps the “school tax”
constitutional amendment question on the November ballot?
Source: Do you agree with Friday’s ruling that keeps the “school tax” constitutional amendment question on the November ballot?, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, September 11, 2018.
May 4, 2018
Question:
What grade do you give the just-completed 2018 Legislature?
Source: What grade do you give the just-completed 2018 Legislature?, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, May 4, 2018.
May 7, 2017
Question:
Overall, what grade do you give the 2017 Legislature?
Source: Overall, what grade do you give the 2017 Legislature?, Honolulu Star-Advertiser, May 7, 2017.
National Polls
April 26, 2018
Question:
Thinking about the fundamental structure and design of American Government, % who say that:
No significant changes are needed: 38%
Significant changes are needed: 61%
Source: The Public, the Political System and American Democracy, Pew Research Center, April 26, 2018.