Gov. Linda Lingle has signed into law a bill moving the date of Hawaii's primary election to the second Saturday in August.

The new law goes into effect in 2012.

The Legislature passed the measure to comply with a new federal law requiring states to distribute absentee ballots to overseas and military voters at least 45 days before a general election. The law is intended to give those voters more time to complete and return their ballots.

Hawaii currently holds its primary election on the second Saturday of September, leaving too little time to certify results and send out ballots for the November general election.