Hawaii State Senator Karl Rhoads (D-Honolulu) has introduced SB 114, to create a presidential primary. Hawaii is one of a few states that has never had a presidential primary.

Unlike the law in some other states, all qualified parties would be entitled to their own presidential primary. Candidates would need a fee of $750, plus 25 signatures. The primary would be the first Tuesday after the first Monday in April. That is a date that no other state uses for a presidential primary, except for Wisconsin.

Newly qualifying parties that want their own presidential primary would need to file their petitions for qualified status in January of the election year.

Rhoads is chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Committee that hears election law bills, so the bill is virtually certain to get a hearing.