Hawaii Turnout Reaches 44.1% in General Election
Most of the state's voters mailed their ballots as Gov. Josh Green and running mate Derek Kawakami won nearly 73% of the vote.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Elections
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Hawaii voters cast ballots in Tuesday's general election, with overall turnout at 44.1% of 789,732 registered voters. Green and Kawakami received nearly 73% of the vote in the governor's race.
Why it matters
The turnout figure is well below the 60.7% recorded in the 2024 general election and the 48.7% recorded in 2022. Mail voting dominated the process, with 348,387 voters mailing ballots compared with only 17,510 who voted in person statewide.
Turnout of 44.1% among 789,732 registered voters trails the 60.7% recorded in 2024 and the 48.7% recorded in 2022. Of the 365,897 voters who cast ballots, about 95% mailed them, while only 17,510 voted in person statewide.
The players
Josh Green
Josh Green is the governor of Hawaii, a Democrat who was re-elected with running mate Derek Kawakami in the 2026 general election.
Derek Kawakami
Derek Kawakami is a Hawaii politician from Kauai who ran as lieutenant governor alongside Governor Josh Green in the 2026 general election.
The details
Hawaii voters cast ballots in Tuesday's general election, and most did so by mail rather than in person. Green and Kawakami, the lieutenant governor running mate from Kauai, received nearly 73% of the vote in the governor's race.
Timeline
The general election was held on November 3, 2026.
Overall turnout figures were updated on November 4, 2026, after a third printout was counted.
Turnout in the 2024 general election was 60.7%.
Turnout in the 2022 general election was 48.7%, when a new governor and lieutenant governor were chosen.
Season Trajectory
The 44.1% turnout falls below Hawaii's 48.7% figure from 2022 and its 60.7% figure from 2024. Compared with those two prior general elections, the 2026 cycle shows a notable drop in participation.
Most Hawaii voters now use mail ballots, so voters who prefer in-person voting should note that only 17,510 ballots were cast at polling sites this cycle. The lower overall turnout means fewer participants chose the next governor and lieutenant governor than in prior general elections.
The takeaway
Hawaii's 2026 general election saw a clear shift toward mail voting, with nearly all ballots cast by mail. Voters who want to track how turnout evolves over time can compare these figures against the 2022 and 2024 cycles.
Further reading
For more on how the state's races are decided, see Elections in Hawaii politics coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Honolulu Star Advertiser.
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