Hawaii Republicans Fail to Act on Open Primary

The Hawaii Republican Party held its state convention on the weekend of May 15-17. Ballot Access News is now reporting that a proposed resolution calling for a semi-closed primary did not reach the floor for a vote. Some party members want to be able to block Democrats from voting in GOP primaries.

Hawaii is currently one of eight states with "open primary, private choice." There is no party registration, and each primary voter picks a party in the secrecy of the voting booth.

The challenge of Idaho's state-mandated open primary (Idaho Republican Party v. Ysursa) is pending in U. S. district court. A ruling should shortly be handed down in that case.

Also, the Greenville County (SC) Republican Party recently filed suit in federal district court against South Carolina's open primary law (Harms v. Hudgens).

Hawaii's Republican state executive committee could bring a lawsuit against the state-mandated open primary. So could the Hawaii County GOP, which unanimously approved a resolution for a semi-closed primary. It seems unlikely, however, that any such action will be taken before a decision comes down in the Idaho case (both Hawaii and Idaho are part of the 9th U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals).

From the Hawaii Free Press: "A second proposal backed unanimously by the Hawaii County Republican Convention — to establish a [semi]-closed Primary system for the [nomination] of non-Presidential Republican candidates – was not forwarded to the State Convention by the Hawaii GOP Rules Committee. Its backers are continuing to work for approval at a future convention."