Question 5: Election Reform

Official ballot wording

Beginning in 2032, should the City use ranked-choice voting to elect the Mayor, City Council, and Prosecuting Attorney, allowing voters to rank candidates in the order they prefer (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.) in a single November election?

Official explanation

Present situation: City officials are elected through a two-step nonpartisan special election. When three or more candidates run for an office, a first special election is conducted with the state primary in August. If a candidate wins a majority, then they are elected. Otherwise, the top two advance to a second special election held with the state general election in November. Turnout in August is typically much lower than in November. This means a relatively small group of voters who may not represent the views of the City as a whole decides the options (or the winners) for everyone else. In the 2024 election, all City officials were elected in August. Additionally, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes section 11-100 limits ranked-choice voting to only special elections to fill City Council vacancies. If proposal passes: Beginning in 2032, ranked-choice voting will be used for the Mayor, City Council, and Prosecuting Attorney, and these offices will be decided in the November election by a larger and more representative electorate. Voters can rank any number of candidates in the order they prefer (1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice, etc.). If no candidate receives a majority of first choices, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and those ballots transferred to each voter's next choice, repeating in rounds until a winner is determined. The City Clerk will also adopt rules and implement a public education program.

This explanation is attributed to the linked official source.

Originating legislation or resolution

P130 ↗

Officials' votes to refer a proposal and the public's election vote on the question are separate records. A linked proposal alone does not establish approval by voters.

Public election results

No public election result has been imported for this question.