Voting Rights

This reference guide identifies selected sources about the lawful and constitutional protections that grant the ability to participate in public elections. Resources listed are available at all libraries in the Hawai ‘i State Law Library System, unless otherwise noted. This finding aid is not exhaustive and intended to be a starting point for research on this topic.

Note: SCLL=Supreme Court Law Library on O‘ahu, 2d=Maui, 3d=Hilo, K=Kona, 5^th=Kaua‘i.

PRIMARY SOURCES

Laws

State

• HRS § 11 – 11 to 26 [Registration]
• HRS § 11 – 131 to 140 [Voting Procedures]
• HRS § 15 – 1 to 14 [Absentee Voting]
• HRS § 15D – 1 to 18 [Uniform Military and Overseas Voters Act]

Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, Call No. KFH30 A22

Hawai‘i Revised Statutes Annotated, Call No. KFH30 A4

Federal

• Title 52, Chapter 101, 103, 105, 107 [Voting Rights]
• Title 52, Chapter 201, 203, 205, 207, 209 [Voting Assistance and Election Administration]

United States Code, Call No. KF62 2012 A2 [At SCLL] (Also available online at GovInfo)

United States Code Annotated, Call No. KF65 U5 [At SCLL, 5^th]

United States Code Service, Call No. KF65 U8 [At SCLL, K]

Constitution

• 15^th Amendment – Voting Rights
• 19^th Amendment – Women’s Right to Vote
• 24^th Amendment – Poll Taxes Ended
• 26^th Amendment – Legal Voting Age

Voting rights laws and constitutional amendments

SECONDARY SOURCES

Books and Articles

• America Votes!: challenges to modern election law and voting rights 4^th by Benjamin E. Griffith & John Hardin Young. [Available via LexisNexis eBook Digital Library*]
• Fighting for Civil and Voting Rights in Mississippi and Illinois by Martha A. Mills. [Available via LexisNexis eBook Digital Library*]
• To dwell on the earth in unity: Rice Arakaki and the growth of citizenship and voting rights in Hawai`i by Patrick W. Hanifin. Hawaii Bar Journal 2001 vol.5 no.13:15-44. [Call No. Periodical (Ref Rm)]
• The Voting Rights Act was signed 55 years ago. Black Women led the movement behind it. USA Today.
• Voting Rights. Library of Congress Articles and Essays

*To request access to LexisNexis eBook Digital Library, email the Supreme Court Law Library.

Museum

• National Voting Rights Museum and Institute

Agencies and Organizations

• American Library Association
  • Libraries and Voter Engagement
  • Voting and Elections Toolkit, Government Documents Round Table (GODORT)
• NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People)
  • • Under Know the Issues, select ‘Democracy and Voting’
    • Under Find Resources, select ‘Know Your Rights‘, then select ‘Voting Rights’
• U.S. Department of Justice, Voting and Elections

Internet Resources

Disclaimer:  The sites listed below have been found to be useful when conducting legal research on the Internet. The Hawai‘i State Law Library System has no control over these web sites and does not guarantee or assume any liability for the accuracy, relevance, currency, or completeness of the information.

• American Civil Liberties Union, Voting Rights
• History.com, Voting Rights Act of 1965
• Library of Congress Blog, Women in History: Voting Rights
• National Constitution Center, Voting Rights
• National Voter Registration Day

Last updated: April 22, 2025