Office of Elections

Are you vacationing in July or October this year? Or are you a college student attending school on the mainland?

Whatever your reason may be, being away from home during the election season doesn’t have to prevent you from casting your vote. With absentee voting, you can request to have your ballot delivered to an alternate address when you’re away from your regular Hawaii mailing address.

Am I eligible to vote absentee?

If you anticipate being away from Hawaii during the primary, general, or both elections, requesting an absentee ballot is for you. To be eligible to request an absentee ballot, you must first be registered to vote in Hawaii. Verify that you’re registered to vote at elections.hawaii.gov or call our office at (808) 453-VOTE (8683).

When are mail ballots arriving to Hawaii mailboxes?

If you plan to be away on or near the dates below, you’ll want to request an absentee ballot.

• Primary Election: July 26, 2022
• General Election: October 21, 2022

How do I request to receive an absentee ballot?

Print, complete, and submit an Absentee Ballot Application to your County Elections Division by the deadlines below.

• For the Primary Election ballot: August 6, 2022
• For the General Election ballot: November 1, 2022

Is an absentee ballot different from a mail ballot?

Absentee ballots are no different from the ballot mailed to your Hawaii mailing address. The mail ballot packet is the same, the contests you vote on are the same, and the same processes for verification are applied.

I’ve requested an absentee ballot, what’s next?

Receive: You will receive your Primary Election ballot no later than 18 days before the election. If you don’t, contact your County Elections Division right away.

Mark: Mark your ballot with a black or blue pen. Once you’ve completed voting, place your voted ballot in the provided return envelope.

Return: Return envelopes include prepaid postage and are preaddressed to your County Elections Division. Your voted ballot must be received by 7:00 PM on Election Day to be counted.

Can I return my ballot to any election office?

Your ballot must be returned to your respective County Elections Division in Hawaii. Do not return your ballot to an election office or ballot drop box in another county or state. For example, if you are an Oahu resident, you cannot return your ballot to a ballot drop box on Maui.

Additional things to consider?

Requests for absentee ballots apply for one election cycle only. You are required to submit a new request for every election that you are away from your registered Hawaii mailing address.

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