Newsletter – May 2026

Newsletter - May 2026

Aloha from the Office of Elections!

Here's what you need to know to help you exercise your right to vote in this and every election:

Your right to a secret ballot

• Your vote is anonymous. How you mark your ballot is not linked to your name or voter registration.
• Hawaii does not require you to declare a political party when registering. Election officials do not ask, nor have record of your party affiliation.

Your right to in-person Election Day services

• Not registered yet? No problem. You can register and vote in person at a voter service center in your county on Election Day.
• In line by 7:00 PM? Stay in line! You'll still be allowed to vote or drop off your ballot.

Your right to register to vote

• No traditional address? For our neighbors who may be experiencing houselessness, you can still register to vote. When you register, you'll just need to describe your location using cross streets or landmarks.
• A reminder that you can 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

Your right to language assistance

• Voting materials are available in Chinese, Hawaiian, Ilocano, and Tagalog, and assistance in additional languages is available by contacting the Office of Elections.

Your right to accessible voting options

• If you have a disability, consider requesting an accessible electronic ballot or visit a voter service center to use accessible voting equipment to review and mark your ballot independently.

Learn more about your rights and voting services at elections.hawaii.gov.