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Since 1980, Hawaii has opened up its primary system to allow all voters, regardless of party affiliation, to vote. However, earlier this year, the Democratic Party of Hawaii (DPH) challenged the state law, asserting their First Amendment right of association: “The lawsuit isn’t about excluding voters, but ensuring Democrats are selected at the primary stage by those willing to identify as Democrats.” -  Dante Carpenter, chairman of the DPH. In July, a Hawaii federal court ruled against the Dem

Genetically-modified food may soon be a thing of the past on Hawaii Island, the largest island in the state of Hawaii. The island's governing council recently passed a bill banning the cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and banning biotech companies such as Monsanto from operating in the area. published earlier this year in The New York Times showed that , and that three-quarters of Americans say they're concerned with the safety of such foods. This bill may be part of a growi

Business and labor leaders joined with legislators from three states last week to participate in the Independent Voter Project Conference in Hawaii. Marking the fifth annual meeting,  Joined by industry and labor representatives, lawmakers engaged in extended round table discussions on a broad range of subjects. This year, the panel topics focused on 5 key issues: Public Safety, Energy, Bioscience and Innovation, Healthcare, and Economic Development. Each panel included experts and multiple re

Legislators from California, Texas, and Illinois gathered last week to participate in the Independent Voter Project Business and Leadership Conference in Hawaii. Also in attendance were representatives from key business sectors including energy, high tech, bio tech, and manufacturing. The stated goal of the annual conference is to create a space for open dialogue and candid policy discussion. Its location, alone, always stirs objections from Common Cause and the media. But, this year, the confe

On Thursday, a federal district court in Hawaii upheld the state’s open primary system, ruling that the plaintiff in the case, the Democratic Party of Hawaii (DPH), failed to provide sufficient evidence that Hawaii’s open primary system violated the First Amendment. The DHP argued that the open primary system infringed on its First Amendment right of association because such a right includes the ability to “limit its association to people who share its views.” Because voters do not have to sta

Last week, both Illinois and Hawaii passed same-sex marriage making them the 15th and 16th states to do so. Overall, 2013 has been quite a year for the LGBT community. These last two states just seem to put the icing on the proverbial cake. It all comes on the heals of the 2012 election where voters in three states (Maine, Maryland, and Washington) approved same-sex marriage and rejected a ban on it in the state of Minnesota. So, what has transpired during the year? Rhode Island, Delaware, Mi

Marijuana legalization activists gained considerable momentum this week. On Tuesday, the city of Portland, Maine, passed Question 1: 67 percent to 33 percent. The measure legalized possession of up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana by adults over 21 years of age. Likewise, Colorado passed Proposition AA Tuesday, which added a 15 percent wholesale tax and 10 percent sales tax on marijuana transactions. These two ballot measures follow a national poll by Gallup that found support for outright legalizat

In order to qualify to be president, the U.S. Constitution states, "No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States." So what defines a "natural-born citizen"?  The answer has not been so simple over th

Dear IVN Readers, As the media brings you 24/7 news coverage of a British baby, we are proud to do real investigative reporting on things that matter to the foundation of our democracy and a productive civil discourse. Follow along this week as we cover the Hawaii Democratic Party's attempt to prevent nonaffiliated voters from having the right to participate in the primary elections, or the Republican v. Independent head-to-head match-up in the 52nd district resulting from California's new non

kshiota / shutterstock.com When the Democratic Party of Hawaii filed a lawsuit to challenge the state’s open primary election system, they argued that the system unconstitutionally restricted the party’s right of association guaranteed by the First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution. Proponents of the lawsuit believe this move will make the primaries more democratic since candidates will only be selected by those who subscribe to the basic philosophy of the party. These arguments, however, fac