Washington, DC--New polling shows broad support across the state for small donor public financing, just as a conference committee is set to convene on HB 1481, legislation to upgrade the state’s publicly financed elections program.

By a 2 to 1 margin, Hawaii voters support legislation that allows candidates to run for office by relying on a blend of small donations and limited public funds, according to the polling conducted by national public opinion research firm Lake Research Partners on behalf of Voter-Owned Hawaii and Public Campaign. Eighty-three percent of respondents believe the state should “overhaul” or “make modest changes” to campaign finance laws.

“It’s clear that voters across the state want Hawaii to have a viable public financing system for legislative races,” said David Mermin, a Partner at Lake Research Partners. “That’s true in Oahu, Hawaii, or Kauai and Maui.”

“The House members and Senators selected for the conference committee should see these results as an endorsement to vote the strongest possible bill out,” said Kory Payne, director of Voter-Owned Hawaii.

“Reforming the state’s public campaign financing system would make Hawaii a national leader in the fight to restore our democracy,” said Nick Nyhart, president and CEO of Public Campaign. “It’s time we had elections truly of, by, and for the people.”

Lake Research Partners conducted the survey from April 3 to April 8th 2013, reaching 758 likely voters in Hawaii. The margin of error is +/3.65%.

Download the polling slides.

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Public Campaign is a national nonpartisan organization that strives to raise the voices of everyday people in our democracy through changing our campaign finance laws and through holding elected officials accountable. Learn more at www.publicampaign.org.

Voter Owned Hawaii is a non-partisan, non-profit organization that is working to upgrade and modernize Hawaii's outdated, and ineffective partial public funding option for elections. Learn more at www.voterownedhawaii.org www.voterownedhawaii.org.