Bill Text: HI SB669 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Bill 669 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Voting; Primary Elections

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-01-24 - (S) Referred to JDL. [SB669 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2011-SB669-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	669
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

proposing an amendment to article ii, section 4, of the hawaii state constitution, to restrict voting eligibility in primary and special elections to partisan and nonpartisan declarants.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that, since its adoption in 1978, article II, section 4, of the Hawaii State Constitution, has encouraged voter participation in primary elections by allowing voters to select any political party's ballot without declaring a party preference or nonpartisanship as a condition of voting. While some candidates may have sought votes from members of a different political party, public confidence in this open primary election system continues to be high.

However, the possibility remains that a political party could improperly affect the outcome of an opposing party's primary election by encouraging its members to cast votes for the weaker candidate of the opposing party, thus allowing their candidate to face a weaker opposing candidate in the general election.

The legislature further finds that, in order to ensure the integrity of primary elections and prevent misuse of election laws, crossover voting by members of political parties should be prohibited and political party members should be allowed to vote only in their respective party's primary election.

The purpose of this Act is to propose an amendment to article II, section 4, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii to require a person, as a condition of voting in any primary or special primary election, to declare membership in a particular political party and be issued the primary or special primary ballot for that party or declare nonmembership in any political party and be issued the primary or special primary ballot for each party and the nonpartisan primary or special primary ballot.

SECTION 2. Article II, section 4, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii is amended to read as follows:

"REGISTRATION; VOTING

Section 4. The legislature shall provide for the registration of voters and for absentee voting and shall prescribe the method of voting at all elections. Secrecy of voting shall be preserved; provided that [no] each person shall be required to declare membership in a particular political party [~~preference or nonpartisanship~~] or nonmembership in any political party as a condition of voting in any primary or special primary election. A person who declares membership in a particular political party shall be issued a primary or special primary ballot for that party only. A person who declares nonmembership in any political party shall be issued the primary or special primary ballot for each political party and also the nonpartisan ballot for that election. Secrecy of voting and choice of political party affiliation [~~or nonpartisanship~~] shall be preserved."

SECTION 3. The question to be printed on the ballot shall be as follows:

"As a condition of voting in any primary or special primary election, shall a person be required to declare membership in a particular political party and be issued the primary or special primary ballot for only that party, or declare nonmembership in any political party and be issued the primary or special primary ballot for each party as well as the nonpartisan primary or special primary ballot?"

SECTION 4. Constitutional material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New constitutional material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This amendment shall take effect upon compliance with article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Voting; Primary Elections

Description:

Proposes a constitutional amendment to require a voter to declare membership in a political party or nonmembership in any political party to be eligible to cast a ballot in a primary election.

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