2026 Elections Guide

Essential information, candidate positions, news stories and more.

Hawaiʻi voters will go to the polls on Nov. 3 along with the rest of the nation. But the ballot will be considerably smaller than in August when voters decided many races that now won’t appear on the general election ballot.

The state’s two congressional seats are still at the top of the ballot followed by the governor and lieutenant governor, which are statewide seats. In the Legislature, many seats were uncontested and others were won outright in the Aug. 8 primary, leaving 30 state House seats and five state Senate seats to be decided by voters in the general election. A sixth Senate seat, in Senate District 18 where Michelle Kidani retired earlier this year, will be decided on Nov. 3 in a special election concurrent with the general.

Also still to be decided in November are five seats on the board of trustees for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, two Honolulu City Council districts, the Maui and Kauaʻi mayors’ positions, all seven Kauaʻi County Council seats, eight spots on the Maui council and three Big Island seats.

We’ll be making another push for candidates in every race to respond to our candidate surveys and we’ll continue to publish those in our Candidate Q&A section as they come in. They are also linked on our general election ballot, located in the tab above. Readers have found those to be invaluable when they sit down to fill out their ballots.

We’re covering as many races as we can, including stories on candidates, their campaigns and finances and of course any breaking news and political twists. Hot races still drawing a lot of attention — and campaign cash — include the Maui mayor and the Kauaʻi mayor plus a handful of legislative districts. Look for that in our Elections 2026 section.

Honolulu voters will also be asked to weigh in on 20 questions aimed at revamping the Honolulu City Charter, including whether to establish a ranked choice voting system, restrict police immigration enforcement actions, creating new city cultural offices, bolstering affordable housing policies and numerous other topics.

Maui voters also will have a number of ballot propositions to address. We’ll add more info on both Maui and Honolulu ballot measures to our general election ballot and our elections coverage section as it develops.

Key Dates For The Hawaiʻi General Election

Oct 16

Voters receive their General Election mail ballot packet

Oct 20

Voter service centers open

Oct 27

Deadline to request an absentee ballot

Nov 3

General Election

Where To Find Out More

The Hawaiʻi Office of Elections website is the best place to find basic information you need about the elections, including how and when to register, how to find your polling place and when you can begin casting your ballot.

Meanwhile, here are some other resources we’ve put together to help you through the 2026 elections:

Hawaiʻi’s 2026 elections are right around the corner and Civil Beat’s elections guide is here to help with essential information, candidate positions, news stories and more.

Find Your Districts

This map from the state Office of Elections shows the congressional, senatorial, representative and council district boundaries.

Track Your Ballot

Hawaiʻi voters can enroll for ballot notifications ahead of the 2026 elections. Voters who sign up will be notified about the status of their mail ballot either through text, email or a phone message.

Voters who choose not to sign up for ballot notifications will still be able to track their ballot by going to elections.hawaii.gov or by contacting their County Elections Division.

Voter Education

Get information and help from these organizations:

Campaign Finance Resources

Both the state and the federal government impose contribution limits when giving directly to candidates. Money has been flowing to candidates and political committees for the 2026 elections. You can follow the money yourself on a number of online campaign and political sites:

Federal Candidates and Committees:

State Candidates and Committees:

Elections Offices Statewide

These offices oversee the elections in Hawaiʻi:

Political Parties

Latest Stories

Hawaiʻi Island Auditor Says She Needs A Deputy. Voters Will Decide
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Hawaiʻi Island Auditor Says She Needs A Deputy. Voters Will Decide

This is the only proposed charter amendment Big Island voters will consider this year.

High Court Orders New Election For Hawaiʻi House Race
Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

High Court Orders New Election For Hawaiʻi House Race


Voters of District 43 on Oʻahu will get another chance to choose between Kanani Souza and Sheila Medeiros. One Supreme Court associate justice said the primary was not “pau.”

Candidate Q&A: State House District 11 – Sheila Walker

Candidate Q&A: State House District 11 – Sheila Walker

“I support reinstating an elected school board that includes educators, parents, and community members so the people have a stronger voice in education policy.”

Candidate Q&A: State House District 50 – Jesse Fitzgerald

Candidate Q&A: State House District 50 – Jesse Fitzgerald

“We must lead the nation in clean energy, and a not-for-profit insurance system that provides real relief for those affected.”

Candidate Q&A: State Senate District 20 – Markus Owens

Candidate Q&A: State Senate District 20 – Markus Owens

“We must ensure adaptation costs are shared fairly and do not overburden taxpayers, property owners, or small businesses as we prepare for future risks.”

Candidate Q&A: US House District 2 – Brenton Awa

Candidate Q&A: US House District 2 – Brenton Awa

“Anyone campaigning on affordability while refusing to challenge a law restricting shipping competition to an island state should raise red flags.”

Candidate Q&A: State House District 4 – Zak Wittenhagen

Candidate Q&A: State House District 4 – Zak Wittenhagen

“As a lawmaker, I will secure funding for reliable alternate emergency road routes and decentralize our infrastructure to move it away from vulnerable systems.”

Candidate Q&A: Kauaʻi County Council – Keola Kaiminaauao

Candidate Q&A: Kauaʻi County Council – Keola Kaiminaauao

“I believe Kauaʻi should be doing everything it can to put more locally grown food on family tables.”

Rematch May Be Coming For House Seat Decided By Tiebreaker
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Rematch May Be Coming For House Seat Decided By Tiebreaker

The Hawaiʻi Supreme Court will decide Friday whether a special election is needed for the tight race between two Oʻahu Republicans.

How Kaua‘i’s Mayoral Candidates Plan To Tackle Trash
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

How Kaua‘i’s Mayoral Candidates Plan To Tackle Trash

Boosting recycling and other diversion efforts are top priorities while the Garden Isle gets its new landfill up and running.