HI HR116

Requests the Legislative Reference Bureau to study the types of closed primary elections conducted by other states and their effects on voter turnout.

Notes that eleven states currently conduct closed primary elections requiring voters to be registered members of the political party holding the primary, while Hawaii conducts open primaries.

References the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in California Democratic Party v. Jones (2000) that political parties have a First Amendment right to limit primary participation to party members.

Requires the Legislative Reference Bureau to report findings to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the Regular Session of 2012.

Directs that certified copies be transmitted to the Acting Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau, the President of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.