Office of Elections

*Due to reapportionment in 2021, all State Senators will be up for election in 2022 pursuant to the Hawaii State Constitution, Article IV, Section 7

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 February 3, 2020, 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

Candidates must designate the name they want to appear on the ballot at the time of filing. 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.

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 the last four digits of his/her social security number, name, signature, residence address, and birth date

The deadline to file a nomination paper is

June 2, 2020, 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.

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.

Accepted forms of payment:

• Cash
• Money order
• Cashier’s check
• Certified check

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 9, 2020, 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 Clerk’s Office for county ethics requirements.

Federal Offices

Federal Election Commission, Information Services
999 East Street, North West
Washington, D.C., 20463
Phone: (800) 424-9530
www.fec.gov

State and County Offices

Campaign Spending Commission
235 South Beretania Street, Room 300
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: (808) 586-0285
www.ags.hawaii.gov/campaign

State Offices

Hawaii State Ethics Commission
1001 Bishop Street, Suite 970
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: (808) 587-0460
www.ethics.hawaii.gov