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• • COUNTY OF HAWAII 0F CE OF THE CORPORATION COUNAUL 25 Aupuni Street Hilo, Hawaii 96720 MEMORANDUM To: Mr. Yasuki Arakaki • Dote March 2, 1979 Deputy County Clerk From: Alan M. Okamoto, Deputy Corporation Counsel Subject: Whether a preponderance of independents (on a board or commission) would be in violation of the provisions of Section 13-4 (f) , County Charter. This memorandum construes the language of Section 13-4 (f) , County Charter. Whether the County must accept the party designation of an appointee to a commission in determining "political party" under Section 13-4 (f) has previously been resolved by this office. The question raised is whether the term "political party" found in Section 13-4 (f) includes "independents. " The term "independents" apparently• means those who decline to state party affiliations (e.g. , as Republican or Democrat) . We reply that since "independents" do not constitute a "political party" in the context of Charter Section 13-4 (f) , a preponderance of "independents" on a commission would not be in violation of Section 13-4 (f) . • In resolving the question presented, we note that the term "political party" is neither defined by the Charter nor is its meaning clear from a reading of the language alone. It is thus necessary to resort to statutory construction of the term. • The primary rule of statutory construction is to determine legislative intent. Keller v. Thompson, 56 Haw. 183, 189, 532 P.2d 664, 669; State v. Hawaiian Dredging Co. , 48 Haw. 152, 181, 397 P.2d 593, 612. Legislative intent may be determined in a number of ways. The most direct means of determining legislative intent is to examine legislative history. Castle & Cook Terminals V. Local 137 of Intern. Longshoremen' s and Warehousemen' s Union, 110 F.Supp. 247, 251. Here the minutes of the Third Charter Commission indicate that Section 13-4 (f) was based on the identical provision in the Maui charter. Corporation Counsel' s letter of July 28, 1976 , to Mayor Matayoshi; Minutes of Third Charter Commission of September 14, 1967. • •