Bill Text: HI SB680 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Primary Elections
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [SB680 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2010-SB680-Introduced.html
Report Title:
Primary Elections
Description:
Proposes a constitutional amendment to limit a member of a political party to voting in a primary election on a ballot for that person's political party or nonmembership.
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
680 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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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 PRIMARY 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, Hawaii's constitution, as provided in article II, section 4, 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. A party could do this by encouraging its members to cast votes for the weaker candidate of the opposing party, thus allowing their candidate to face the weaker 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. Political party members would then be allowed to vote only in their respective party's primary election.
SECTION 2. 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 political party and be issued the primary or special primary ballot for that party or declare nonmembership and be issued the primary or special primary ballot for each party and the nonpartisan primary or special primary ballot.
SECTION 3. 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] a person shall be required to
declare a political party [preference or nonpartisanship] membership
or nonmembership as a condition of voting in any primary or special primary
election. A person who declares membership in a political party shall be
issued a primary or special primary ballot for that party only. A person who
declares a nonmembership 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 4. 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 political party and be issued the primary or special primary ballot for only that party, or declare nonmembership and be issued the primary or special primary ballot for each party and the nonpartisan primary or special primary ballot?"
SECTION 5. Constitutional material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New constitutional material is underscored.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect upon compliance with article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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