Bill Text: HI HB1474 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii House Bill 1474 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Primary Elections; Nomination Papers; Deadline to Obtain

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 13-3)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [HB1474 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-HB1474-Introduced.html

Report Title:

Primary Elections; Nomination Papers; Deadline to Obtain

Description:

Establishes a twenty-four hour cutoff on the availability of nomination papers prior to the close of filing for any elective office.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1474
TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating to elections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds the 2008 nomination period for elective office led to chaos and controversy. When a last minute candidacy for the Honolulu mayoral campaign was announced, it resulted in an available city council seat. In the race to file nomination papers, a state representative seat was made available. News accounts told of people obtaining nomination papers within thirty minutes of the filing deadline. Candidates scrambled to find signatures for nomination papers and the elections office was in such a state of confusion, state Democratic party leaders intervened to persuade officials to allow candidates to collect signatures and file nomination papers five minutes prior to the filing deadline. The State's chief election officer later invalidated the candidacy.

In the city clerk's office after invalidating a city council nomination, the clerk felt compelled to have late decisions referred to the city ethics commission for review to improve procedures and ensure that the office is in compliance with city standards of conduct.

In response to the controversial decisions resulting from a confusing and chaotic nomination period, the Honolulu city council on September 24, 2008, adopted a resolution urging the legislature to require that nomination papers for elective office be obtained at least twenty-four hours prior to the filing deadline.

The purpose of this Act is to establish a statutory deadline by which a person seeking candidacy for elective office must obtain nomination papers.

SECTION 2. Section 12-2.5, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"§12-2.5 Nomination papers; when available. (a) Nomination papers shall be made available from the first working day of February in every even-numbered year; provided that in the case of a special primary or special election, nomination papers shall be made available at least ten days prior to the close of filing.

(b) Nomination papers shall not be available within twenty-four hours prior to the close of filing for any elective office; provided that if the close of filing deadline falls on a Monday, no nomination papers shall be made available after the Friday preceding the Monday filing deadline."

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.