Become a Candidate
Candidate Filing for the 2022 Elections ends June 7, 2022.
Office | Districts | Term | Qualifications |
---|---|---|---|
Federal Offices | |||
U.S. Senate | State of Hawaii | 6 years Jan. 2023 to Jan. 2029 | • U.S. citizen for 9 years • Inhabitant of Hawaii when elected • At least 30 years of age |
U.S. Representative | I and II | 2 years Jan. 2023 to Jan. 2025 | • U.S. citizen for 7 years • Inhabitant of Hawaii when elected • At least 25 years of age |
State Offices | |||
Governor | State of Hawaii | 4 years Dec. 2022 to Dec. 2026 | • Resident of Hawaii for not less than 5 years immediately preceding the election • Registered voter of Hawaii • At least 30 years of age |
Lieutenant Governor | State of Hawaii | 4 years Dec. 2022 to Dec. 2026 | • Resident of Hawaii for not less than 5 years immediately preceding the election • Registered voter of Hawaii • At least 30 years of age |
State Senate | 1 – 25* | 2 years or 4 years** Nov. 2022 to Nov. 2024 or 2026 | • Resident of Hawaii for not less than 3 years prior to election • Qualified voter of the appropriate State Senatorial District prior to filing |
State Representative | 1 – 51 | 2 years Nov. 2022 to Nov. 2024 | • Resident of Hawaii for not less than 3 years prior to election • Qualified voter of the appropriate State Representative District prior to filing |
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee | Maui Resident Trustee, Oahu Resident Trustee, At-Large Trustee (3 seats) | 4 years Nov. 2022 to Nov. 2026 | • Resident of respective island for seats requiring residence • Registered voter of Hawaii |
County of Hawaii Offices | |||
Councilmember | 1 – 9 | 2 years Dec. 2022 to Dec. 2024 | • Resident and registered voter of the Council District at least 90 days prior to primary election • Qualified voter of Hawaii County for a least 1 year prior to election |
County of Maui Offices | |||
Mayor | County of Maui | 4 years Jan. 2023 to Jan. 2027 | • Resident of Maui County for a period of at least 1 year prior to filing • Qualified voter of Maui County |
Councilmember | East Maui, West Maui, Wailuku-Waihee- Waikapu, Kahului, South Maui, Makawao- Haiku-Paia, Upcountry, Lanai, Molokai | 2 years Jan. 2023 to Jan. 2025 | • Resident in the area of the county from which the person seeks to be elected for a period of 1 year before filing • Qualified voter of Maui County |
County of Kauai Offices | |||
Mayor | County of Kauai | 4 years Dec. 2022 to Dec. 2026 | • Resident of Kauai County for at least 3 years prior to election • Qualified voter of Kauai County • 30 years of age |
Councilmember | County of Kauai, 7 seats | 2 years Dec. 2020 to Dec. 2022 | • Qualified voter of Kauai County at least 2 years prior to election |
City and County of Honolulu Offices | |||
Councilmember | II, IV, VI, VIII | 4 years Jan. 2023 to Jan. 2027 | • Resident and registered voter of the appropriate Council District |
**Since State Senate elections are staggered, the 2021 Reapportionment Commission assigned a 2-year term for 12 seats (1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 12, 16, 18, 19, 22, 23, 24) and a 4-year term for the other 13 seats (2, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 25) for the 2022 Elections. The 12 seats up for election in 2024 will resume the normal 4-year term going forward. (Hawaii State Constitution, Article IV, Sections 7 and 8).
The online Candidate System is now closed as the candidate filing deadline was June 7, 2022, 4:30pm.
Candidates must complete and file a nomination paper to appear on the ballot. To obtain a nomination paper, candidates must first complete an Application for a Nomination Paper.
Completed applications can be submitted starting March 1, 2022, at the following locations to receive a nomination paper:
- Office of Elections: federal and state elective offices
- Clerk's Office in the Counties of Hawaii, Maui, Kauai: respective federal, state, and county elective offices
- City and County of Honolulu Clerk's Office: City and County of Honolulu elective offices only
Office | Location | Contact | Hours of Operation |
---|---|---|---|
Federal and State | Office of Elections 802 Lehua Avenue Pearl City, HI 96782 | (808) 453-8683 | Monday through Friday 7:45 AM - 4:30 PM |
Federal, State, and County of Hawaii | Office of the County Clerk 25 Aupuni Street, Room 1502 Hilo, HI 96720 | (808) 961-8277 | Monday through Friday 7:45 AM - 3:30 PM By Appointment Only |
Federal, State, and County of Hawaii | Kona Elections Division West Hawaii Civic Center 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway Building B, 2nd Floor Kailua-Kona, HI 96740 | (808) 323-4400 | Monday through Friday 7:45 AM - 3:30 PM By Appointment Only |
Federal, State, and County of Maui | Office of the County Clerk 200 S. High Street, Room 708 Wailuku, HI 96793 | (808) 270-7749 | Monday through Friday 7:45 AM - 4:30 PM By Appointment Only |
Federal, State, and County of Kauai | Office of the County Clerk 4386 Rice Street, Room 101 Lihue, HI 96766 | (808) 241-4800 | Monday through Friday 7:45 AM - 4:30 PM |
City and County of Honolulu | Office of the City Clerk 530 S. King Street, Room 100 Honolulu, HI 96813 | (808) 768-3800 | Monday through Friday 7:45 AM - 4:30 PM By Appointment Only |
Candidates must designate the name they want to appear on the ballot. The ballot name:
- May include Hawaiian and/or English equivalents or nicknames
- Contain a maximum of 27 typed spaces; including letters, spaces, and punctuation marks
- Be in the format prescribed by the Office of Elections and otherwise meet the statutory and administrative rules requirements associated with ballot names.
A nomination paper must be signed by a minimum number of properly registered voters qualified to vote for the candidate.
Office Sought | |
---|---|
U.S. Senate | |
U.S. Representative | |
Governor | |
Lieutenant Governor | |
State Senate | |
State Representative | |
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee | |
Mayor | |
Councilmember |
For a signature to be valid, the individual signing the nomination paper:
- Must live and be properly registered to vote in the district from which the candidate seeks office
- May sign as many nomination papers as there are seats to be filled
- Must include name, signature, residence address, and month and day of birth
Candidates must submit payment at the time of filing. The filing fee is based on the office the candidate is seeking.
Discounted filing fees are available for candidates seeking state or county office. Candidates interested in a discounted filing fee must agree to abide by the state’s voluntary campaign expenditure limits by submitting an affidavit to Campaign Spending Commission prior to filing their nomination papers.
Office Sought | ||
---|---|---|
U.S. Senate | ||
U.S. Representative | ||
Governor | ||
Lieutenant Governor | ||
State Senator | ||
State Representative | ||
Office of Hawaiian Affairs Trustee | ||
Mayor | ||
Prosecuting Attorney | ||
Councilmember |
Accepted forms of payment:
- Cash
- Money order
- Cashier’s check
- Certified check
Made payable to:
- Federal & State Offices: Office of Elections
- Hawaii County Offices: Director of Finance
- Maui County Offices: County of Maui
- Kauai County Offices: Director of Finance
- Honolulu City Offices: City & County of Honolulu
The deadline to file a nomination paper is June 7, 2022, 4:30 pm.
When filing a nomination paper, all candidates must certify that they:
- Will qualify under the law for the office sought
- Has determined all of the information on the nomination paper is true and correct, except for the information provided by the signatories
- Are in compliance with HRS § 831-2, which provides that a person sentenced for a felony, from the time of the person's sentence until the person's final discharge, may not become a candidate for or hold public office.
Partisan candidates are required to certify that they are a member of the political party listed on the nomination paper.
County candidates are required to certify that they have complied with the relevant provisions of the applicable county charter and county ordinances pertaining to elected officials.
All candidates are required to provide a notarized written oath or affirmation. The oath or affirmation statement is on the nomination paper.
If a candidate is a state or county officeholder seeking a federal office, there is no resignation requirement.
Additionally, a state or county officeholder whose successor would regularly be elected at the same election in which they are a candidate for another state or county office is not required to resign.
However, a state or county officeholder, whose successor would not regularly be elected at the same election in which they are a candidate for another state or county office is required to resign. This resignation needs to occur prior to the state or county officeholder filing a nomination paper for the new state or county office.
Objections can be made by a registered voter, an officer of a qualified political party, the chief election officer, or the county clerk in the case of a county election.
All objections must be filed in writing no later than June 14, 2022, 4:30 pm.
Objections by a registered voter are filed with the chief election officer or the county clerk in the case of a county election. Objections by an officer of a qualified political party are filed with the Clerk of the Circuit Court.
Candidates will be notified of any challenge by registered or certified mail. The chief election officer or county clerk may hold meetings to gather facts for a preliminary decision on the merits of the objection. A decision must be made within five working days after the objection was filed.
If the decision is that the objection warrants disqualification of the candidate, the chief election officer or county clerk will file a complaint with the Clerk of the Circuit Court within seven working days after the objection was filed.
The Clerk of the Circuit Court will issue a summons to the candidate to appear before the court not later than 4:30 p.m. on the fifth day after service of the summons.
The Circuit Court will hear the matter in a summary manner and issue its judgment to the chief election officer or county clerk, not later than 4:30 p.m. on the fourth day after the return on the summons to appear before it.
If the judgment is to disqualify the candidate, the chief election officer or county clerk will follow the procedures set forth in HRS §§ 11-117 and 11-118 regarding the disqualification of candidates.
Candidates are required to file reports with the following agencies. Contact appropriate agency for information on additional requirements. County candidates, check with your County Elections Division for county ethics requirements.
Federal Offices
Federal Election Commission, Information Services999 East Street, North West
Washington, D.C., 20463
Phone: (800) 424-9530
www.fec.gov
State and County Offices
Campaign Spending Commission235 South Beretania Street, Room 300
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: (808) 586-0285
www.ags.hawaii.gov/campaign
State Offices
Hawaii State Ethics Commission1001 Bishop Street, Suite 970
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: (808) 587-0460
www.ethics.hawaii.gov
For complete information, please refer to HRS §§11-117, 11-118, and Chapter 12.
Questions relating to candidate filing? Contact the Ballot Operations Section at (808) 453-8683 or email [email protected], Attn: Ballot Operations.
Last Updated on June 7, 2022