Hawaii 2026 ballot measures

From Ballotpedia
Revision as of 18:20, 7 April 2025 by Jackie Mitchell (contribs)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to: navigation, search
2028
2024
2026 U.S. state
ballot measures
2027 »
« 2025
BallotMeasureFinal badge.png
Overview
Scorecard
Tuesday Count
Deadlines
Requirements
Lawsuits
Readability
Voter guides
Election results
Campaigns
Polls
Media editorials
Filed initiatives
Finances
Contributions
Signature costs
Ballot Measure Monthly
Signature requirements
Have you subscribed yet?

Join the hundreds of thousands of readers trusting Ballotpedia to keep them up to date with the latest political news. Sign up for the Daily Brew.
Click here to learn more.

As of October 2, 2025, one statewide ballot measures was certified for the ballot in Hawaii for the election on November 3, 2026.

HIGHLIGHTS
  • The Hawaii State Legislature referred a constitutional amendment to the ballot to increase the timeframe for the Senate to consider and act on appointments of judges and justices from 30 days to 60 days for appointments made between April 1 and December 31 when the Senate is not in regular session or is soon to adjourn the regular session.
  • On the ballot

    Type Title Subject Description

    LRCA

    Increase Time for Senate to Act on Judicial Appointments Amendment Judiciary; Legislative processes Increase the timeframe for the Senate to consider and act on appointments of judges and justices from 30 days to 60 days for appointments made between April 1 and December 31 when the Senate is not in regular session or is soon to adjourn the regular session


    Potential measures

    See also: Potential 2026 ballot measures
    Type Bill number Title Subject Description
    LRCA SB 1225 Simple Majority Vote for Constitutional Amendments Measure Direct democracy and Supermajority Remove the requirement that constitutional amendments in Hawaii must be approved by a majority of voters casting a vote in the election (not only a majority of those voting on the question), meaning that blank votes would no longer count as no votes on constitutional amendments
    LRCA SB 124 State Legislative Reapportionment Based on Decennial U.S. Census Amendment Redistricting Change the state legislative reapportionment process to determine district populations using the decennial U.S. Census, rather than the permanent resident population
    LRCA SB 311 Election Expenditures Excluded from Constitutionally Protected Freedom of Speech Amendment Campaign finance and Constitutional rights Provide that election expenditures are not a form of constitutionally protected free speech, which would take effect if U.S. Supreme Court rulings in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission and Buckley v. Valeo are invalidated or overturned
    LRCA SB 350 Constitutional Right to Contraception Amendment Healthcare and Constitutional rights Provides in the state constitution that "no law shall be enacted, nor any state action taken, that denies or interferes with a person's right to obtain contraceptives or voluntarily engage in contraception"


    Getting measures on the ballot

    Hawaii did not provide for an initiative and referendum process as of 2025, so all ballot measures must be referred by the state legislature.

    The Hawaii State Legislature can put a proposed amendment on the ballot upon either a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers of the legislature in the same session or two simple majority votes in both chambers held in two successive sessions. Constitutional amendments must be approved by a majority of the votes cast for the question, as long as the majority also is at least 50 percent of the total votes cast in the entire election. For measures approved at special elections by a majority of votes cast for the question, the majority must be at least 30 percent of the total number of registered voters in the state at the time.

    Historical facts

    See also: List of Hawaii ballot measures

    In Hawaii, a total of 64 ballot measures appeared on statewide ballots between 1985 and 2024. Voters approved 46 ballot measures, and 18 ballot measures were defeated.

    Hawaii statewide ballot measures, 1985-2024
    Total number Annual average Annual minimum Annual maximum Approved Defeated
    # % # %
    64
    1.64
    0
    8
    46
    71.88%
    18
    28.13%


    See also

    Hawaii

    External links

    Footnotes