Office of Elections

Aloha,

Being election ready means knowing your rights as a voter. Read on to learn more.

Your right to the secrecy of your vote

• Your vote is anonymous and is not tied to you or your voter registration. No record is kept of how you voted in an election.

• Voters in Hawaii are not asked to declare a political party preference when registering to vote. Hawaii elections offices do not ask, nor keep a record of your party affiliation.

Your right to Election Day services

• If you are not yet registered to vote on Election Day, you can still register at a voter service center in your county. You will be permitted to vote in person for that election and will receive a mail ballot for future elections.

• If you are in line, stay in line. Voting closes at 7:00 PM on Election Day, however, if you are in line to vote at a voter service center or to drop off your mail ballot at a ballot drop box, you will be allowed to do so. Officials mark the end of the line, and you will not be permitted to rejoin if you leave.

• You can request a provisional ballot if you cannot confirm your voter registration. A provisional ballot allows you to vote a ballot that may or may not be counted after the County Elections Division confirms your voter registration information.

Your right to register to vote

• If you are experiencing homelessness or otherwise do not have a traditional residential address, you are still eligible to register to vote. When you register, provide a description of where you reside – like cross streets and landmarks, to help election officials determine your voting district. Election officials can offer guidance on voting options including in person voting at a voter service center.

• You maintain the right to register and vote if you are a pre-trial detainee, on probation, or paroled after imprisonment.  If you have been convicted of a felony, you are not permitted to vote during your imprisonment, however, your voting rights are restored if you are on probation or paroled.

Your right to vote while away from Hawaii

• If you are temporarily away from your Hawaii residence, you can request to have your ballot mailed to an alternate address by submitting an Absentee Ballot Application.

• If you are active-duty military or a U.S. citizen who resides overseas, you are eligible to vote in Hawaii elections. By completing a Federal Post Card Application, your ballot will be delivered to you overseas.

Your right to language assistance

• Voting materials are available in Chinese, Hawaiian, Ilocano, and Tagalog, and further language assistance is available through contacting the Office of Elections.

Your right to accessible voting and assistance

• If you need assistance through the election process, including registering to vote, or reviewing, marking, and returning your ballot, you are allowed to receive assistance.  It is important to note that to protect you against voter intimidation, you are prohibited from receiving assistance from a candidate on the ballot, or your employer or union agent.

• Accessible voting options are available to vote privately and independently. Voters with disabilities can request an accessible electronic ballot or visit a voter service center to use accessible voting equipment to review and mark their ballot.

To learn more about elections and services for voters in special circumstances, visit elections.hawaii.gov.