Report Title:

Primary Election Date

Description:

Moves the date of the primary election from the second to the last Saturday in September to the second Saturday in August of every even numbered year.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	1550
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO THE PRIMARY ELECTION DATE.

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

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that Hawaii has the last primary election in the nation.  Presently, the primary election is held on the second to last Saturday in September, provided there are at least forty-five days between the primary and general election.  The legislature also finds that over the years increased federal obligations, mounting legal challenges, and a substantial increase in the utilization of absentee voting have made it especially critical to have more time between the primary and general election.

     The purpose of this Act is to increase the amount of time between the primary and general election to allow for the increasing federal obligations, mounting legal challenges, and increasing utilization of absentee voting.

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

     "§12-2  Primary held when; candidates only those nominated.  The primary shall be held at the polling place for each precinct on the [second to the last Saturday of September] second Saturday in August in every even numbered year[; provided that in no case shall any primary election precede a general election by less than forty-five days].

     No person shall be a candidate for any general or special general election unless the person has been nominated in the immediately preceding primary or special primary."

     SECTION 3.  Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

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

INTRODUCED BY:

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