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City elections in Honolulu, Hawaii (2020)
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| 2020 Honolulu elections |
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| Election dates |
| Filing deadline: June 2, 2020 |
| Primary election: August 8, 2020 General election: November 3, 2020 |
| Election stats |
| Offices up: Mayor, prosecuting attorney, and city council districts I, III, V, VII, and IX |
| Total seats up: 7 (click here for mayoral elections) |
| Election type: Nonpartisan |
| Other municipal elections |
| U.S. municipal elections, 2020 |
The city of Honolulu, Hawaii, held general elections for mayor, prosecuting attorney, and city council districts I, III, V, VII, and IX on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for August 8, 2020. The filing deadline for this election was June 2, 2020.
Click here to learn more about the city's mayoral election.
Election procedure changes in 2020
Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.
Hawaii did not modify any procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election.
For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.
Elections
Click on the tabs below to show more information about those topics.
City council
Honolulu City Council general election (November 3, 2020) | |
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| Office | Candidates |
| District 1 | This general election was canceled. |
| District 3 |
 Esther Kia'aina Greg Thielen |
| District 5 | This general election was canceled. |
| District 7 |
Jacob Aki Radiant Cordero |
| District 9 |
William Espero Augusto Tulba |
Honolulu City Council primary election (August 8, 2020) | |
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| Office | Candidates |
| District 1 |
Kathy Davenport Naomi Hanohano Galen Kerfoot Anthony Makana Paris Andria Tupola |
| District 3 |
Kalani Kalima Warland Kealoha Esther Kia'aina Paul Mossman Alan Kekoa Texeira Greg Thielen |
| District 5 |
Philmund Lee Calvin Say Dave Watase |
| District 7 |
Jacob Aki Radiant Cordero Ryan Mandado |
| District 9 |
William Espero Earl Tsuneyoshi Augusto Tulba |
Prosecuting attorney
General election
General election for Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney
Steven Alm defeated Megan Kau in the general election for Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Steven Alm (Nonpartisan) | 55.5 | 199,399 | |
| Megan Kau (Nonpartisan) | 44.5 | 159,745 | ||
| Total votes: 359,144 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Nonpartisan primary election
Nonpartisan primary for Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney
The following candidates ran in the primary for Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney on August 8, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Steven Alm (Nonpartisan) | 40.1 | 96,459 | |
| ✔ | Megan Kau (Nonpartisan) | 24.3 | 58,389 | |
 | Jacquie Esser (Nonpartisan) | 19.6 | 47,043 | |
| Dwight Nadamoto (Nonpartisan) | 6.6 | 15,799 | ||
| Robert Brown (Nonpartisan) | 5.2 | 12,505 | ||
| Tae Kim (Nonpartisan) | 3.7 | 8,812 | ||
| Anosh Yaqoob (Nonpartisan) | 0.7 | 1,610 | ||
| Total votes: 240,617 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
Do you know of an official or organization that endorsed a candidate in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at editor@ballotpedia.org.
Ballot measures
• Honolulu, Hawaii, Charter Question 1, Prosecuting Attorney Term Limits (November 2020): ✔
A "yes" vote supported amending the city charter to establish term limits for the city's prosecuting attorney of two consecutive four-year terms, the same term limits that exist for the mayor and city council. |
A "no" vote opposed this measure to establish term limits for the city's prosecuting attorney of two consecutive four-year terms. |
• Honolulu, Hawaii, Charter Question 2, Establish Youth Commission (November 2020): ✔
A "yes" vote supported amending the city charter to establish a 15-member youth commission consisting of members between the ages of 14 and 24 appointed by the mayor and city council in order to make recommendations to the city council and mayor concerning policies related to youth. |
A "no" vote opposed this measure to establish a 15-member youth commission consisting of members between the ages of 14 and 24 appointed by the mayor and city council. |
• Honolulu, Hawaii, Charter Question 3, Ethics Commission Budget Control (November 2020): ✔
A "yes" vote supported amending the city charter to allow the ethics commission control over its budget allotments after the budget has been enacted. |
A "no" vote opposed this measure to give the ethics commission control over its own budget allotments after the budget is enacted, thereby leaving the mayor with authority to make revisions to budget allotment schedules. |
A "yes" vote supported amending the city charter to authorize the ethics commission to appoint and determine salaries for commission staff independent of the city's civil service position classification provided appointments are based on merit as described in the charter. |
A "no" vote opposed this measure to authorize the ethics commission to appoint and determine salaries for commission staff independent of the city's civil service position classification provided appointments are based on merit as described in the charter. |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: Hawaii elections, 2020
What was at stake?
Report a story for this election
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Candidate survey
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About the city
- See also: Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is a city in Hawaii. It is a consolidated city-county with Honolulu County. The city-county includes the city of Honolulu, the rest of the island of Oahu, and the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, with the exception of the Midway Islands which are controlled by the federal government.[1] As of 2020, its population was 350,964.
City government
- See also: Mayor-council government
The city of Honolulu uses a strong mayor and city council system. In this form of municipal government, the city council serves as the city's primary legislative body while the mayor serves as the city's chief executive.[2]
Demographics
The following table displays demographic data provided by the United States Census Bureau.
| Demographic Data for Honolulu, Hawaii | ||
|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | Hawaii | |
| Population | 350,964 | 1,455,271 |
| Land area (sq mi) | 60 | 6,422 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White | 16.9% | 24.1% |
| Black/African American | 2% | 1.9% |
| Asian | 53.1% | 37.6% |
| Native American | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Pacific Islander | 8.3% | 10.4% |
| Other (single race) | N/A | 1.4% |
| Multiple | 18.6% | 24.3% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 7.2% | 10.7% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate | 89.8% | 92.5% |
| College graduation rate | 37.8% | 33.6% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income | $72,454 | $83,173 |
| Persons below poverty level | 10.7% | 9.3% |
| Source: population provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "Decennial Census" (2020). Other figures provided by U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2015-2020). | ||
| **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
There are no Pivot Counties in Hawaii. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Hawaii with 62.2 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 30 percent. In presidential elections between 1960 and 2016, Hawaii voted Democratic 86.67 percent of the time and Republican 13.33 percent of the time. The only presidential elections from 1960 to 2016 where Hawaii voted for the Republican candidate were the elections in 1972 and 1984. Richard Nixon (R) and Ronald Reagan (R), respectively, won nearly every state in those elections.[3] Hawaii voted Democratic in every presidential election from 2000 to 2016.
Presidential results by legislative district
The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Hawaii. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[4][5]
| In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won all 51 state House districts in Hawaii with an average margin of victory of 42.9 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won all 51 state House districts in Hawaii with an average margin of victory of 31.7 points. Six of those districts were controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections. |
| 2016 presidential results by state House district | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Obama | Romney | 2012 Margin | Clinton | Trump | 2016 Margin | Party Control |
| 1 | 78.86% | 18.99% | D+59.9 | 67.83% | 22.93% | D+44.9 | D |
| 2 | 81.90% | 16.56% | D+65.3 | 70.83% | 20.79% | D+50 | D |
| 3 | 78.94% | 18.86% | D+60.1 | 66.06% | 24.28% | D+41.8 | D |
| 4 | 74.69% | 20.89% | D+53.8 | 61.65% | 26.42% | D+35.2 | D |
| 5 | 70.37% | 27.44% | D+42.9 | 60.96% | 30.41% | D+30.5 | D |
| 6 | 63.87% | 34.13% | D+29.7 | 55.17% | 36.08% | D+19.1 | D |
| 7 | 70.15% | 27.80% | D+42.3 | 62.01% | 28.48% | D+33.5 | D |
| 8 | 77.15% | 21.48% | D+55.7 | 66.05% | 24.87% | D+41.2 | D |
| 9 | 82.40% | 16.67% | D+65.7 | 71.21% | 21.87% | D+49.3 | D |
| 10 | 66.49% | 31.34% | D+35.2 | 59.75% | 31.99% | D+27.8 | D |
| 11 | 65.21% | 32.49% | D+32.7 | 59.60% | 31.32% | D+28.3 | D |
| 12 | 73.87% | 23.66% | D+50.2 | 64.66% | 24.79% | D+39.9 | D |
| 13 | 78.96% | 18.21% | D+60.8 | 65.73% | 21.35% | D+44.4 | D |
| 14 | 72.91% | 23.66% | D+49.2 | 61.55% | 28.21% | D+33.3 | D |
| 15 | 73.72% | 24.41% | D+49.3 | 62.16% | 30.30% | D+31.9 | D |
| 16 | 73.80% | 24.28% | D+49.5 | 63.81% | 27.75% | D+36.1 | D |
| 17 | 64.14% | 34.73% | D+29.4 | 61.51% | 32.48% | D+29 | R |
| 18 | 64.74% | 34.13% | D+30.6 | 62.93% | 31.13% | D+31.8 | D |
| 19 | 68.62% | 30.02% | D+38.6 | 65.35% | 28.24% | D+37.1 | D |
| 20 | 74.85% | 23.28% | D+51.6 | 68.93% | 24.22% | D+44.7 | D |
| 21 | 75.85% | 22.20% | D+53.7 | 69.81% | 22.91% | D+46.9 | D |
| 22 | 63.65% | 33.95% | D+29.7 | 60.51% | 32.82% | D+27.7 | D |
| 23 | 74.44% | 23.74% | D+50.7 | 70.35% | 22.60% | D+47.8 | D |
| 24 | 72.02% | 26.06% | D+46 | 67.57% | 25.28% | D+42.3 | D |
| 25 | 72.41% | 25.81% | D+46.6 | 65.99% | 26.66% | D+39.3 | D |
| 26 | 69.71% | 28.67% | D+41 | 66.03% | 27.94% | D+38.1 | D |
| 27 | 73.79% | 24.89% | D+48.9 | 66.44% | 27.44% | D+39 | D |
| 28 | 75.18% | 23.76% | D+51.4 | 65.88% | 27.53% | D+38.3 | D |
| 29 | 72.71% | 25.65% | D+47.1 | 65.49% | 27.73% | D+37.8 | D |
| 30 | 74.18% | 25.14% | D+49 | 66.96% | 27.11% | D+39.8 | D |
| 31 | 67.31% | 31.63% | D+35.7 | 60.03% | 33.91% | D+26.1 | D |
| 32 | 71.52% | 27.25% | D+44.3 | 61.88% | 31.86% | D+30 | D |
| 33 | 71.14% | 28.00% | D+43.1 | 64.50% | 29.83% | D+34.7 | D |
| 34 | 73.09% | 25.92% | D+47.2 | 63.82% | 30.29% | D+33.5 | D |
| 35 | 71.64% | 27.28% | D+44.4 | 60.83% | 33.40% | D+27.4 | D |
| 36 | 65.58% | 33.62% | D+32 | 58.08% | 35.51% | D+22.6 | R |
| 37 | 68.17% | 30.78% | D+37.4 | 60.07% | 33.75% | D+26.3 | D |
| 38 | 75.65% | 23.90% | D+51.8 | 68.58% | 27.30% | D+41.3 | D |
| 39 | 66.08% | 33.05% | D+33 | 55.93% | 37.10% | D+18.8 | D |
| 40 | 63.55% | 35.44% | D+28.1 | 52.55% | 41.16% | D+11.4 | R |
| 41 | 64.77% | 34.18% | D+30.6 | 52.81% | 39.86% | D+13 | D |
| 42 | 62.03% | 36.85% | D+25.2 | 51.48% | 41.06% | D+10.4 | D |
| 43 | 69.40% | 29.09% | D+40.3 | 51.86% | 39.48% | D+12.4 | R |
| 44 | 71.73% | 26.37% | D+45.4 | 52.37% | 37.93% | D+14.4 | D |
| 45 | 65.66% | 32.94% | D+32.7 | 57.08% | 35.06% | D+22 | R |
| 46 | 69.74% | 29.10% | D+40.6 | 57.86% | 34.83% | D+23 | D |
| 47 | 51.82% | 46.23% | D+5.6 | 48.08% | 40.22% | D+7.9 | D |
| 48 | 67.63% | 31.05% | D+36.6 | 58.22% | 33.67% | D+24.6 | D |
| 49 | 71.40% | 27.44% | D+44 | 63.21% | 29.76% | D+33.4 | D |
| 50 | 64.02% | 34.41% | D+29.6 | 59.88% | 31.83% | D+28 | R |
| 51 | 70.33% | 28.32% | D+42 | 61.16% | 30.89% | D+30.3 | D |
| Total | 70.55% | 27.84% | D+42.7 | 62.22% | 30.04% | D+32.2 | - |
| Source: Daily Kos | |||||||
See also
| Honolulu, Hawaii | Hawaii | Municipal government | Other local coverage |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Hawaii.gov, "Hawaii," accessed August 6, 2019
- ↑ Honolulu City Charter, Sec. 1.103, 3.101, 5.103, accessed October 21, 2014
- ↑ 270towin.com, "Historical Presidential Elections," accessed August 2, 2017
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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