Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2020
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| 2020 Hawaii House Elections | |
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| General | November 3, 2020 |
| Primary | August 8, 2020 |
| Past Election Results |
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| 2020 Elections | |
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Democrats gained a seat in the 2020 elections for Hawaii House of Representatives, preserving their supermajority. All 51 seats in the chamber were up for election in 2020. Heading into the election, Democrats held 46 seats and Republicans held 5. Democrats gained a net one seat, meaning Democrats expanded their majority to 47-4.
The Hawaii House of Representatives was one of 86 state legislative chambers with elections in 2020. All 51 Hawaii House seats were up for election in 2020. There are 99 chambers throughout the country. In 2018, 87 out of 99 legislative chambers held elections.
Hawaii's 2020 state legislative elections affected partisan control of redistricting following the 2020 census. In Hawaii, a commission is responsible for drawing district lines. The majority and minority leaders of the Hawaii State Senate and Hawaii House of Representatives each select two members. These eight members then select a ninth tie-breaking commissioner.
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
Hawaii did not modify any procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Party control
| Hawaii House of Representatives | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | As of November 3, 2020 | After November 4, 2020 | |
| Democratic Party | 46 | 47 | |
| Republican Party | 5 | 4 | |
| Total | 51 | 51 | |
Candidates
General election
Hawaii House of Representatives general election |
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| Office | Other | ||
| District 1 |
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| District 2 |
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Devin McMackin Sr. (Aloha Aina Party) |
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| District 3 |
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| District 4 |
Desmon Haumea (Aloha Aina Party) |
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| District 5 |
Citlalli Johanna Decker (Aloha Aina Party) |
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| District 6 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 7 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 8 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 9 |
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Kahala Jen Chrupalyk (Aloha Aina Party) |
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| District 10 |
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Travis Gyldstrand (Aloha Aina Party) |
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| District 11 |
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Howard Greenberg (Aloha Aina Party) |
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| District 12 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 13 |
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Theresa Kapaku (Aloha Aina Party) |
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| District 14 |
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| District 15 |
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| District 16 |
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| District 17 |
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| District 18 |
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| District 19 |
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Wayne Chen (American Shopping Party) |
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| District 20 |
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| District 21 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 22 |
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| District 23 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 24 |
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Andy Sexton Jr. (Aloha Aina Party) |
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| District 25 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 26 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 27 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 28 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 29 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 30 |
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| District 31 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 32 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 33 |
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| District 34 |
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| District 35 |
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Keline-Kameyo Kahau (Aloha Aina Party) |
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| District 36 |
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| District 37 |
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| District 38 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 39 |
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| District 40 |
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| District 41 |
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| District 42 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 43 |
Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli (Aloha Aina Party) |
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| District 44 |
Joseph Simpliciano Jr. (Aloha Aina Party) |
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| District 45 |
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| District 46 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 47 |
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| District 48 | This general election was canceled. | ||
| District 49 |
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| District 50 |
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| District 51 |
Erik Ho (Aloha Aina Party) |
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Primary election
Hawaii House of Representatives primary election |
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| Office | Other | ||
| District 1 |
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| District 2 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
Aloha Aina Party  Devin McMackin Sr. |
| District 3 |
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| District 4 |
Did not make the ballot: |
Aloha Aina Party Desmon Haumea Nonpartisan Brian Ley |
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| District 5 |
Colehour Bondera Did not make the ballot: |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
Aloha Aina Party Citlalli Johanna Decker Libertarian Party Mike Last |
| District 6 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 7 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 8 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 9 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
Aloha Aina Party Kahala Jen Chrupalyk |
| District 10 |
Aloha Aina Party Travis Gyldstrand |
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| District 11 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
Aloha Aina Party Howard Greenberg |
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| District 12 |
Did not make the ballot: |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 13 |
Aloha Aina Party Theresa Kapaku |
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| District 14 |
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| District 15 |
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| District 16 |
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| District 17 |
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| District 18 |
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| District 19 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
American Shopping Party Wayne Chen Nonpartisan Michael Parrish |
| District 20 |
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| District 21 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 22 |
Tom Brower (i) |
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| District 23 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 24 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
Aloha Aina Party Andy Sexton Jr. |
| District 25 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 26 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 27 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 28 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 29 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 30 |
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| District 31 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 32 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 33 |
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| District 34 |
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| District 35 |
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Aloha Aina Party Keline-Kameyo Kahau |
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| District 36 |
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| District 37 |
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| District 38 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 39 |
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| District 40 |
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| District 41 |
Nonpartisan Ryan Isamu Uehara |
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| District 42 |
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The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 43 |
Aloha Aina Party Shaena Dela Cruz Hoohuli |
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| District 44 |
Aloha Aina Party Joseph Simpliciano Jr. |
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| District 45 |
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| District 46 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 47 |
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| District 48 |
The Republican primary was canceled. |
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| District 49 |
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| District 50 |
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| District 51 |
Aloha Aina Party Erik Ho |
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Incumbents who were not re-elected
Incumbents defeated in the general election
No incumbents lost in the Nov. 3 general election.
Incumbents defeated in primary elections
One incumbent lost in the August 8 primaries. That incumbent was:
| Name | Party | Current Office |
|---|---|---|
| Romy Cachola | House District 30 |
Retiring incumbents
There were six open seats where the incumbent legislator did not file for re-election in 2020.[1] Those incumbents were:
The six seats left open in 2020 represented a decrease from 2018. The table below shows the number of open seats in each election held between 2010 and 2020.
| Open Seats in Hawaii House of Representatives elections: 2010 - 2020 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Seats with incumbents running for re-election |
| 2020 | 51 | 6 (12 percent) | 45 (88 percent) |
| 2018 | 51 | 7 (14 percent) | 44 (86 percent) |
| 2016 | 51 | 2 (4 percent) | 49 (96 percent) |
| 2014 | 51 | 3 (6 percent) | 48 (94 percent) |
| 2012 | 51 | 5 (10 percent) | 46 (90 percent) |
| 2010 | 51 | 5 (10 percent) | 46 (90 percent) |
Process to become a candidate
See statutes: Chapter 12, Part I of the Hawaii Revised Statutes
In Hawaii, all candidates, regardless of partisan affiliation, must be nominated via the state's primary election before appearing on a general election ballot. In the primary election, a candidate may run as a nonpartisan or as a member of a political party. Nonpartisan candidates appear on a separate, nonpartisan ballot.[2][3][4]
Nomination papers
To be placed on the ballot, a candidate must first file an application for nomination papers with the Hawaii Office of Elections. Nomination papers are available on the first business day in February in every even-numbered year.[5][6]
Nomination papers must be signed by voters qualified to vote for the office being sought by the candidate. The number of signatures required is as follows:[5][7]
- A candidate seeking the offices of United States senator, United States representative, governor or lieutenant governor must collect 25 signatures.
- A candidate seeking office in the Hawaii State Legislature must collect 15 signatures.
A signer may sign for only one candidate per office, unless there is more than one seat available for that office. When signing the nomination paper, the signer must provide the following information:[5][8]
- name
- residential address
- date of birth
- the last four digits of Social Security number
- a statement verifying that the signer is qualified to vote for the candidate and that the signer nominates the candidate for the office specified
The following must also be included on the nomination paper:[8]
- the residential address and county in which the candidate resides
- a sworn certification, by self-subscribing oath, by the candidate affirming that he or she is qualified for the office being sought and that all the information provided by the candidate on the nomination paper is correct
- a sworn certification, by self-subscribing oath, by a party candidate that the candidate is a member of the party whose affiliation is indicated on the nomination paper (this is only required of political party candidates)
Filing nomination papers
Except for special primaries or special general elections, the deadline to file nomination papers is the first Tuesday in June. Candidates are advised to file papers early and to collect more than the minimum number of signatures. Exceptions or extensions on filing are prohibited, and once a nomination paper has been filed, a candidate cannot add more signatures.[9][5]
A candidate who holds a public office other than that being sought must resign from his or her current office before filing to be a candidate for a new office. When filing nomination papers, the candidate must certify, by self-subscribing oath, that he or she has resigned from his or her former office.[5]
At the time of filing, the candidate must designate what name he or she wishes to appear on the ballot. A candidate is allowed a maximum of 27 typed spaces on the ballot for names, which includes all letters, spaces, and punctuation marks. Titles are not permitted as part of a candidate's name.[5]
Upon filing, the candidate must sign before a notary public a written oath of affirmation. In order to sign the oath, the candidate must provide a photo ID to the notary public.[5][10]
Any challenges or objections to a candidate's nomination paper must be raised before the 60th day prior to the primary election. Challenges and objections may be raised by registered voters, political party officers who were named on the nomination paper, or by the state's chief elections officer.[5][11]
Filing fees
Filing fees are due at time of filing and must be paid by cash, money order, or certified cashier’s check. Personal or campaign checks will not be accepted. Filing fees may be discounted if the candidate agrees to abide by the state’s voluntary campaign spending limits. Filing fees vary according to the office being sought and are detailed in the table below.[5][9][12]
| Filing fees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Office sought | Filing fee | Discounted filing fee |
| United States senator or United States representative | $75 | Not applicable |
| Governor or lieutenant governor | $750 | $75 |
| Mayor | $500 | $50 |
| All other offices | $250 | $25 |
If a candidate cannot afford to pay the filing fee, he or she can instead file an affidavit attesting to that fact and submit a petition in lieu of the filing fee. The petition must be signed by one-half of 1 percent of the total number of registered voters as of the most recent general election in the district in which the candidate is seeking election.[5][9]
Qualifying for the general election ballot
The party candidate who receives the most votes at the primary election advances to the general election.[13]
A nonpartisan candidate can move on to the general election ballot in one of the following ways:[4]
- by receiving at least 10 percent of the votes cast for the office
- by receiving a number of votes equal to the lowest number of votes received by a partisan candidate who was nominated in the primary election for the office
If more nonpartisan candidates gain access to the general election ballot than there are offices up for election, only the nonpartisan candidate who received the highest vote for the office will move on to the general election.[4][13]
2020 ballot access requirements
The table below details filing requirements for Hawaii House of Representatives candidates in the 2020 election cycle.
| Filing requirements for state legislative candidates, 2020 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chamber name | Party | Signatures required | Filing fee | Filing deadline | Source |
| Hawaii House of Representatives | All candidates | 15 | $250.00 | 6/2/2020 | Source |
Qualifications
From Article III, Section 7 of the Hawaii Constitution: No person shall be eligible to serve as a member of the house of representatives unless the person has been a resident of the State for not less than three years, has attained the age of majority and is, prior to filing nomination papers and thereafter continues to be, a qualified voter of the representative district from which the person seeks to be elected; except that in the year of the first general election following reapportionment, but prior to the primary election, an incumbent representative may move to a new district without being disqualified from completing the remainder of the incumbent representative's term.
Salaries and per diem
- See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
| State legislative salaries, 2024[14] | |
|---|---|
| Salary | Per diem |
| $74,160/year | $225/day; only for legislators who do not reside on Oahu. |
When sworn in
Hawaii legislators assume office on the day they are elected in the general election.[15]
Hawaii political history
Trifectas
A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government.
Hawaii Party Control: 1992-2025
Twenty-six years of Democratic trifectas • No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.
| Year | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99 | 00 | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| Senate | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
| House | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D |
Presidential politics in Hawaii
2016 Presidential election results
| U.S. presidential election, Hawaii, 2016 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | Electoral votes | |
| Democratic | Hillary Clinton/Tim Kaine |
62.2% | 266,891 | 4 | |
| Republican | Donald Trump/Mike Pence | 30% | 128,847 | 0 | |
| Libertarian | Gary Johnson/Bill Weld | 3.7% | 15,954 | 0 | |
| Green | Jill Stein/Ajamu Baraka | 3% | 12,737 | 0 | |
| Constitution | Darrell Lane Castle/Scott Bradley | 1.1% | 4,508 | 0 | |
| Total Votes | 428,937 | 4 | |||
| Election results via: Hawaii Office of Elections | |||||
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election.
Hawaii utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[16][17]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
As of 2020, Hawaii is an all-mail voting state, which means that its elections are conducted almost exclusively by mail. There are voter service centers that are open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time on election day, and with varying hours for ten business days prior to each election, to receive personal delivery of mail-in ballots, accommodate voters with special needs, offer same-day registration and voting, and provide other election services.
To find the locations and hours of voter service centers, see here.[18][19]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Hawaii, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of the state, and at least 18 years old. Pre-registration is available beginning at age 16.[20][21]
Registration can be completed in the following ways:[20]
Online: Visit olvr.hawaii.gov. You must have a current Hawaii Driver’s License or State ID to complete an application online.
Mail: Print & submit a completed Voter Registration Application to your Clerk’s Office. Paper application must be submitted to the county elections division by 4:30 PM on the tenth day before each election.
In-person: Visit the Office of Elections or a Clerk’s Office to submit an application in person.
Applications are available at any of the following locations: [20]
- County Elections Divisions
- Clerk’s Offices
- State Libraries
- U.S. Post Offices
- Most State Agencies
- Satellite City Halls
Same-day voter registration is available at voter service centers, to register and vote in-person, beginning 10 days prior and through election day. Paper registration applications must be submitted to county election divisions by 4:30 PM on the tenth day before each election. Once you are registered, you do not need to re-register for another election unless your residence address, mailing address, or name changes. Hawaii adopted same-day registration in 2014; implementation occurred in 2018.[20]
Automatic registration
Hawaii offers automatic voter registration for eligible individuals through the Department of Motor Vehicles when they complete a driver license or state ID application, and the Department of Health and Department of Human Services when applying to receive public assistance.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Hawaii has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Hawaii allows same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Hawaii, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible. The voter registration application includes the following language: "The residence stated in this affidavit is not simply because of my presence in the State, but was acquired with the intent to make Hawaii my legal residence with all the accompanying obligations therein."[21]
Verification of citizenship
Hawaii does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, "any person who knowingly furnishes false information may be guilty of a Class C felony."[22]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[23] As of January 2025, six states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, and New Hampshire — had passed laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration. However, only two of those states' laws were in effect, in Arizona and New Hampshire. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allowed noncitizens to vote in some local elections as of November 2024. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
Hawaii's Online Voter Registration System, run by the Hawaii Office of Elections, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Voters in Hawaii are not generally required to present identification while voting. In 2019, the statute requiring voters to present identification if so requested by a precinct official was repealed.
When registering to vote for the first time, a Hawaii Driver License, Hawaii State ID, or the last 4-digits of the voter's Social Security Number is required. If none of these can be provided, one of the following must be provided as proof of identification:
- A current and valid photo identification; or
- A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.[21]
Early voting
Since it is an all-mail voting state, Hawaii permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
Hawaii conducts its elections by mail. All eligible voters automatically receive mail ballots, which must be returned election officials by close of polls on Election Day.[18]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Ballotpedia defines an incumbent as retiring if the incumbent did not file for office or filed for office but withdrew, was disqualified, or otherwise left a race in a manner other than losing the primary, primary runoff, or convention. If an incumbent runs as a write-in candidate, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring. If an incumbent runs in the same chamber for a different seat, Ballotpedia does not consider them to be retiring.
- ↑ Hawaii Revised Statutes, "Chapter 12, Part I, Section 2," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ Hawaii Office of Elections, "Candidate's Manual (2024 elections)," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Hawaii Office of Elections, "Nonpartisan Candidates in Partisan Contests," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedhicandidatefactsheet - ↑ Hawaii Revised Statutes, "Chapter 12, Part I, Section 2.5," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ Hawaii Revised Statutes, "Chapter 12, Part I, Section 5," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Hawaii Revised Statutes, "Chapter 12, Part I, Section 3," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Hawaii Revised Statutes, "Chapter 12, Part I, Section 6," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ Hawaii Revised Statutes, "Chapter 12, Part I, Section 7," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ Hawaii Revised Statutes, "Chapter 12, Part I, Section 8," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ State of Hawaii Office of Elections, "Filing Fees for Candidacy," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Hawaii Revised Statutes, "Chapter 12, Part IV, Section 41," accessed February 20, 2025
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2024 Legislator Compensation," August 21, 2024
- ↑ Legislative Reference Bureau, "Hawaii Constitution, Article III, Section 4," accessed November 1, 2021
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Primary Election Types," accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Hawaii State Legislature, "Hawaii Revised Statutes §12-31," accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 State of Hawaii - Office of Elections, "Voting in Hawaii," accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Hawaii State Legislature, "HB1248," accessed March 21, 2023
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 State of Hawaii Office of Elections, "Registration," accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 State of Hawaii Office of Elections, "Voter Registration and Permanent Absentee Application," accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ State of Hawaii Office of Elections, "Hawaii Voter Registration Application," accessed November 1, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
