The Hawaii Rules

Hawaii tends to be geographically out of the limelight in the presidential nominating process, and neither party has done much to bring even a modicum of attention to its event in 2008. Hawaii Democrats do not begin their two-tier caucus process until Feb. 19, two weeks after Super Tuesday. Hawaii Republicans will launch theirs Jan. 25 to Feb. 7 with caucuses in State House districts. But it is doubtful that the state GOP will hold a straw vote (or some other presidential preference poll) in conjunction with the precinct caucuses, which would attract widespread interest in the event. In recent years, both parties have traditionally selected their delegates at the state convention.

There is no formal system of party registration in Hawaii, which had 662,728 registered voters as of November 2006. However, of late only "card-carrying" party members have been allowed to participate in each party's precinct caucuses. On the eve of the caucuses in 2000, the last time there was an open presidential race, there were roughly 25,000 members in each party.