HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.B. NO.	1716
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026		H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII		S.D. 1

A BILL FOR AN ACT

RELATING TO ELECTIONS.

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that under existing election law, certain political parties are required to repeatedly petition to retain ballot access, despite having demonstrated consistent voter support. This recurring requirement imposes unnecessary administrative and financial burdens on these political parties and the office of elections, without advancing election integrity or promoting voter participation.

The legislature further finds that uninterrupted ballot qualification over extended periods demonstrates durable voter support, organizational stability, and ongoing compliance with election laws. Requiring political parties with continuous qualification to repeatedly petition for ballot access is redundant and administratively inefficient.

The purpose of this Act is to promote fairness and equal treatment among political parties, reduce unnecessary administrative burdens on political parties and the State, recognize sustained voter support and organizational stability, and ensure consistent, predictable, and nondiscriminatory ballot access in Hawaii elections. Specifically, this Act establishes a process by which any political party continuously listed on the general election ballot for two consecutive general election cycles shall be deemed continuously qualified for ballot placement.

SECTION 2. Section 11-62, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (d) to read as follows:

"(d) Each group of persons desiring to qualify as a political party, having first qualified as a political party by petition under this section, and having been qualified as a political party for [three] two consecutive general elections by petition or pursuant to section 11-61(b), shall be deemed a political party for the following ten-year period. The ten-year period shall begin with the next regularly scheduled general election; provided that each party qualified under this section shall continue to field candidates for public office during the ten-year period following qualification. After each ten-year period, the party qualified under this section shall either remain qualified under the standards set forth in section 11-61, or requalify under this section 11-62."

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 Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.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

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on March 22, 2075.

Report Title:

Elections; Political Parties; Qualification; Ballot Placement

Description:

Establishes a process by which any political party continuously listed on the general election ballot for two consecutive general election cycles shall be deemed continuously qualified for ballot placement. Effective 3/22/2075. (SD1)

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.