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Hawaii state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 9
- Early voting: Oct. 23 - Nov. 3
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: Yes
- Voter ID: Non-photo ID
- Poll times: 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
| 2018 Hawaii State Legislature elections | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General | November 6, 2018 |
| Primary | August 11, 2018 |
| 2018 elections | |
|---|---|
| Choose a chamber below: | |
The Republican primary elections for seats in the Hawaii State Senate and Hawaii House of Representatives were on August 11, 2018. For information about the Democratic primary elections in Hawaii, click here.
The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was June 5, 2018. In the state Senate, 12 of 25 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 51 seats were up for election.
Incumbents who did not advance to the general election
Retiring incumbents
One Republican state House incumbents did not seek re-election in 2018:
- Andria P. Tupola (District 3)
Competitiveness
There were 10 open seats in 2018, which was higher than the 3 open seats in 2016 and the 5 open seats in 2014. The 34 contested Democratic primaries was up from 30 in 2016 and 24 in 2014. The 4 contested Republican primaries was down from 5 in 2016 and 6 in 2014. The 141 candidates running was up from 140 in 2016 but down from 145 in 2014.
| Year | Total seats | Open seats | Total candidates | Democratic primaries contested | Republican primaries contested | Total contested | Incumbents contested in primaries | Total incumbents contested in primaries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 64 | 10 | 141 | 34 | 4 | 29.7% | 23 | 42.6% |
| 2016 | 65 | 3 | 140 | 30 | 5 | 26.9% | 25 | 40.3% |
| 2014 | 64 | 5 | 145 | 24 | 6 | 23.4% | 21 | 35.6% |
Partisan control
The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the Hawaii House of Representatives and the Hawaii State Senate as of August 2018:
Hawaii House of Representatives
| Party | As of August 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 46 | |
| Republican Party | 5 | |
| Independent | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 51 | |
Hawaii State Senate
| Party | As of August 2018 | |
|---|---|---|
| Democratic Party | 25 | |
| Republican Party | 0 | |
| Vacancies | 0 | |
| Total | 25 | |
Battleground races
Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 Hawaii state legislative Republican primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the Hawaii state legislative Republican primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
- Identified by the media as a notable primary election.
- One or more of the candidates received a notable endorsement.
- The primary was known to be competitive based on past results or because it was a rematch of a primary that was competitive in the past.
Media coverage
This section provides an overview of media reactions to the Hawaii state legislative Republican primaries.[1] Selected articles are presented as a jumping-off point for deeper exploration of media coverage and as an overview of narratives that have emerged surrounding the elections.
Voter information
How the primary works
A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election.
Hawaii utilizes an open primary system, in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.[2]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
Poll times
As of 2020, Hawaii is an all-mail voting state, which means that its elections are conducted almost exclusively by mail. There are voter service centers that are open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time on election day, and with varying hours for ten business days prior to each election, to receive personal delivery of mail-in ballots, accommodate voters with special needs, offer same-day registration and voting, and provide other election services.
To find the locations and hours of voter service centers, see here.[3][4]
Registration requirements
- Check your voter registration status here.
To register to vote in Hawaii, one must be a United States citizen, a resident of the state, and at least 18 years old. Pre-registration is available beginning at age 16.[5][6]
Registration can be completed in the following ways:[5]
Online: Visit olvr.hawaii.gov. You must have a current Hawaii Driver’s License or State ID to complete an application online.
Mail: Print & submit a completed Voter Registration Application to your Clerk’s Office. Paper application must be submitted to the county elections division by 4:30 PM on the tenth day before each election.
In-person: Visit the Office of Elections or a Clerk’s Office to submit an application in person.
Applications are available at any of the following locations: [5]
- County Elections Divisions
- Clerk’s Offices
- State Libraries
- U.S. Post Offices
- Most State Agencies
- Satellite City Halls
Same-day voter registration is available at voter service centers, to register and vote in-person, beginning 10 days prior and through election day. Paper registration applications must be submitted to county election divisions by 4:30 PM on the tenth day before each election. Once you are registered, you do not need to re-register for another election unless your residence address, mailing address, or name changes. Hawaii adopted same-day registration in 2014; implementation occurred in 2018.[5]
Automatic registration
Hawaii offers automatic voter registration for eligible individuals through the Department of Motor Vehicles when they complete a driver license or state ID application, and the Department of Health and Department of Human Services when applying to receive public assistance.
Online registration
- See also: Online voter registration
Hawaii has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.
Same-day registration
Hawaii allows same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements
To register to vote in Hawaii, you must be a resident of the state. State law does not specify a length of time for which you must have been a resident to be eligible. The voter registration application includes the following language: "The residence stated in this affidavit is not simply because of my presence in the State, but was acquired with the intent to make Hawaii my legal residence with all the accompanying obligations therein."[6]
Verification of citizenship
Hawaii does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual must attest that they are a U.S. citizen when registering to vote. According to the state's voter registration application, "any person who knowingly furnishes false information may be guilty of a Class C felony."[7]
All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[8] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.
Verifying your registration
Hawaii's Online Voter Registration System, run by the Hawaii Office of Elections, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.
Voter ID requirements
Voters in Hawaii are not generally required to present identification while voting. In 2019, the statute requiring voters to present identification if so requested by a precinct official was repealed.
When registering to vote for the first time, a Hawaii Driver License, Hawaii State ID, or the last 4-digits of the voter's Social Security Number is required. If none of these can be provided, one of the following must be provided as proof of identification:
- A current and valid photo identification; or
- A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.[6]
Early voting
Since it is an all-mail voting state, Hawaii permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.
Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.
Absentee voting
Hawaii conducts its elections by mail. All eligible voters automatically receive mail ballots, which must be returned election officials by close of polls on Election Day.[3]
See also
- Hawaii state legislative Democratic primaries, 2018
- Hawaii House of Representatives elections, 2018
- Hawaii State Senate elections, 2018
- Hawaii State Legislature
- Hawaii elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ In selecting articles for inclusion in this section, Ballotpedia has drawn from a variety of sources and viewpoints to identify articles that are representative of broader trends in media coverage.
- ↑ Hawaii Legislature, "Hawaii Rev. Stat. § 12–31," accessed September 3, 2025
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 State of Hawaii - Office of Elections, "Voting in Hawaii," accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ Hawaii State Legislature, "HB1248," accessed March 21, 2023
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 State of Hawaii Office of Elections, "Registration," accessed July 19, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 State of Hawaii Office of Elections, "Voter Registration and Permanent Absentee Application," accessed July 19, 2024 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "regapp" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ State of Hawaii Office of Elections, "Hawaii Voter Registration Application," accessed November 1, 2024
- ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
