Nonpartisan Candidates in Partisan Contests

To appear on the general election ballot, nonpartisan candidates running in partisan elections must meet one of the following qualifications:

  • Method 1: receive at least 10% of the votes cast for the office.
  • Method 2: receive a vote equal to or greater than the lowest vote received by the partisan candidate who was nominated.

If more nonpartisan candidates qualify to run in the general election than there are seats available, then the nonpartisan candidate who receives the most votes will appear on the general election ballot. For complete information, please refer to HRS §12-41(b).

The following is a sample election contest depicting how a nonpartisan candidate moves on to the general election:

Candidate
Votes Received
Qualify for General
Democrat A
300
No
Democrat B
725
Yes
Republican
500
Yes
Green
50
Yes
Libertarian
225
Yes
Nonpartisan A
40
No
Nonpartisan B
75
Yes
Total Votes
1,915

Method 1 Calculation

1,915 votes x 10% = 191.5 or 192 votes required

Neither nonpartisan candidate qualified under this method.

Method 2 Calculation

Green Candidate:                   50 votes

Nonpartisan Candidate A:   40 votes

Nonpartisan Candidate B:   75 votes

Result

Nonpartisan candidate B qualifies under this method and will appear on the general election ballot.

Last Updated on March 12, 2021