Dangerous Reform Disguised as Voter Choice | Oppose SB2480
- Abbra Green
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
The Libertarian Party of Hawaii strongly opposes SB2480. While the bill is promoted as expanding voter freedom by fixing a key flaw in our current primary system, its top-two advancement rule poses a notable threat. It could entrench establishment dominance and drastically reduce genuine ideological choices in general elections.
Hawaii's existing primary system requires voters to select one political preference (Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, Green, or Nonpartisan) on their ballot. They can then only vote for candidates within that chosen preference. Any votes cast for candidates from a different party are simply not counted. This restriction has long frustrated many voters who want broader options without wasting their ballot. This has heavily affected the Libertarian Party of Hawaii for years. SB 2480 would eliminate this limitation, allowing all voters to vote for any candidate in the primary regardless of party affiliation. That change sounds appealing on its face, and had me leaning toward support at first.
However, the bill pairs this "open-voting" reform with a far more problematic top-two rule: Only the two candidates receiving the most votes in the primary, regardless of party, advance to the November general election. This creates an artificial bottleneck that overrides the benefits of expanded primary choice. It risks turning general elections into contests between two similar candidates from the dominant party.
The Misleading Narrative Fueling "Overwhelming" Support
During the February 13, 2026, Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, 41 testimonies supported SB 2480, compared to only 9 in opposition. This lopsided tally creates the illusion of broad consensus. In reality, much of the enthusiasm stems from focusing solely on the bill's appealing side of allowing voters to choose any candidate in primaries without party restrictions, while downplaying or ignoring the top-two rule that advances only the two highest vote-getters to November, regardless of party.
Supporters of this measure highlight inclusivity, but the top-two mechanism risks turning general elections into intra-party contests. The result would often end up in a democrat v. democrat race, sidelining third-party challengers. They emphasize the bill's progressive-sounding "reform" rhetoric, but their support helps obscure how top-two systems disproportionately benefit incumbents, well-funded candidates, and the dominant party.
What SB2480 Really Does and Why It's Harmful to Liberty
Hawaii's existing system already provides significant flexibility: No party registration is required, and voters can select any primary ballot. SB 2480 would replace this with a "jungle primary" model where the top two advance. Low-turnout primaries reward insiders with money and name recognition. As our Chairman Austin Martin testified:
“There is no stability in the law right now, and there is a lot of mistrust in our public institutions... Yanking the rug out from under people and changing the entire system... in fact, only benefits the establishment insiders.”
Top-two reinforces this dynamic by narrowing November choices to the earliest frontrunners. Voters deserve more options in the decisive election, not fewer. This setup forces a false choice and marginalizes alternative voices. Amid widespread distrust in the government apparatus, pushing this change feels like manipulation rather than reform. Opponent Jackie Keefe captured the grassroots concern:
“... this is helping protect the status quo, right? Which is what the grassroots folks are always trying to push back against.”
Oppose SB2480
This is not a path to better elections. It risks entrenching control rather than liberating voters. Don't let the establishment-backed supporters mislead you. Contact your legislators immediately to oppose SB2480. Demand reforms that truly promotes competition and individual choice, without artificial barriers that favor the powerful.
Take action by following these two steps:
Click on the hyperlink to familiarize yourself with the bill text: Oppose SB2480
Testify. Our simple instructions make the process easy!
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