The Hawaii Republican Party held its state convention May 15-17. The body did not vote on a proposed resolution in favor of a closed primary for the party. Hawaii does not have registration by party, and some of the party officers had hoped to persuade the convention to resolve that the party bring a lawsuit to get a closed primary for itself. However, the resolution was never brought to the floor. An earlier version of this blog post said the convention had passed such a resolution, but that was inaccurate.
Hawaii and Idaho are among the eight states which have “open primary, private choice.” Each voter picks a party in the secrecy of the voting booth. The others are Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Vermont.
A county affiliate of the South Carolina Republican Party has filed a federal suit against that state’s open primary law (Harms v. Hudgens). SC is one of the 13 states with “open primary, public declaration.”
The other suit pending in federal district court is Idaho Republican Party v. Ysursa (it’s not yet known which way Judge Winmill will turn).
I’m a card-carrying Hawaii Republican and I oppose this plan. It’s a welfare program for the party. Force people to join the party (and get added to its fundraising and volunteer lists) in order to vote for a Republican. That sounds like something a Democrat would dream up. It’s our job to go out and persuade people to vote Republican and to join our party, NOT to use force. Like I said, it’s a welfare program to deal with sagging membership, sagging donations, and sagging enthusiasm.
I think this would make little difference either way. I can see where Eric is coming from, trying to force association with the party, but it just affects primaries. On the surface it makes little difference. I think I lean in favor of closed primaries simply because it may weed out those people too apathetic and lazy to change or declare their party affiliation.
Nominations by PUBLIC Electors is PUBLIC business.
Since when can a subgroup of PUBLIC Electors have their own nomination system (picked out of thin air) — regardless of the ravings of the party hack Supremes (and their nonstop screwing up of elections and the First Amdt) ???
Internal party hack stuff is private and NONE of the govt’s business — clubby dinners, platforms, etc.
Reminder – NO STONE AGE party hack caucuses, primaries and conventions are needed — via P.R. and A.V.
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Parties should determine who decides there nominees.
Even though someone at the Hawaii Republican Party state convention’s press office told me on the telephone that the resolution had passed, it turns out it didn’t pass. Thanks to Steve Rankin for the correction.
Hawaii Republicans decide on 2012 Presidential caucus
http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/main/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/740/Hawaii-Republicans-decide-on-2012-Presidential-caucus.aspx
“Seeking to tap into the energy and excitement of the Presidential campaign season, the Hawaii Republican State Convention May 16 voted overwhelmingly to hold statewide caucuses to select Hawaii’s Republican Presidential nominee starting in 2012.
…
“A second proposal backed unanimously by the Hawaii County Republican Convention—to establish a modified-closed Primary system for the election 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.”
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NOTE: The Modified-Closed Primary system would not force anyone to join any party since voters would of course also have the option of registering as “decline to state” or “independent” in accord with provisions of the Hawaii State Constitution.