Election Denial in Hawai‘i

Elections are run by the states. In Hawai'i, the Governor, Attorney General, and chief election official are the state officials responsible for overseeing elections. In most states, the Secretary of State is the chief election official. Hawai'i is an exception: The Hawai'i Elections Commission appoints the chief election official. It’s up to all of them to make sure the will of the people is always respected.

Election Deniers make up 0 percent of Hawai‘i’s 4-member Congressional delegation. Members of Congress have a public platform to build up or tear down trust in our elections. And they have concrete responsibilities, too, such as determining federal funding for elections.

Every state runs its own elections, with its own laws and processes. Check out how Hawai‘i compares with other states in its region when it comes to Election Deniers holding state election administration jobs.

Even one Election Denier with election oversight power is a threat to the will of the people. Here are the Election Deniers who have sought control over Hawai‘i elections in recent years.

Voters are always the backstop against election denial, whether Election Deniers are already in office or vying for power. It’s important to turn out for every election in your state—and to vote in every race on your ballot. Downballot races, like contests for Attorney General and Secretary of State, have historically drawn fewer voters, even though the positions are critical to keeping elections free, fair, and secure. Here’s a look at voter participation in Hawai‘i elections over time. Notice that in years with several important positions up for election, some voters choose not to vote in every race.

Each year, state legislators introduce thousands of bills related to elections. And in the past few years, we’ve identified a concerning trend. Across the country, state legislatures are considering bills that would make it easier for partisan actors to manipulate an election, and maybe even overturn the will of the people. We’re tracking these bills along with our partners in an ongoing series of reports called “A Democracy Crisis in the Making.” All told, in the 2023 legislative cycle, we identified 196 bills that were introduced in 39 states that would interfere with election administration. Ultimately, 21 of those bills became law across 15 states, while 7 bills were vetoed across 2 states.

The anti-democracy playbook is simple: change the rules and change the referees, in order to change the results. These bills go hand-in-hand with the Election Denier movement: They’re about taking power away from voters and making it harder for trusted election officials to do their jobs.