Hawaii Finalizes Election Results With No Race Changes
The Office of Elections completed its final count of the November 3, 2026 general election after the cure period closed.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Elections
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Hawaii's Office of Elections finalized the tally of votes from the November 3, 2026 general election on Tuesday night after a 4:30 p.m. deadline. The final count did not alter any race outcomes, though several close contests saw winners add two to 20 votes after ballot cures.
Why it matters
Finalized results settle who holds several local and legislative seats in Hawaii, and the state's cure process allowed voters with signature deficiencies to correct their ballots. Legal challenges to the general election results remain possible until the filing deadline.
Approximately 3,000 ballots in sealed envelopes were held aside after Election Day, and about 2,700 remained invalid after a five-business-day cure window closed. Kanani Souza won a special do-over state Legislature primary with 3,591 votes, 103 more than Sheila Medeiros's 2,488.
The players
Office of Elections
The Hawaii state agency responsible for administering and certifying statewide elections, including the final tally of the November 2026 general election.
Pa'ele Kiakona
A Maui politician who declared victory in his House District 14 race after ballot counts on November 4, 2026.
The details
Voters with deficient envelope signatures had five business days to cure their ballots, and Maui County mailed affected voters instructions and a postage-paid envelope. Hawaii County Council seats and several legislative races were among the closest contests, with winners in four of the five tightest races adding two to 20 votes after cures.
Timeline
November 3, 2026: Hawaii general election held.
November 4, 2026: Pa'ele Kiakona declared victory after Maui ballot counts.
November 10, 2026: Office of Elections completed the final count after the 4:30 p.m. deadline.
November 23, 2026: Deadline for legal challenges to general election results.
Political Context
Hawaii's state law automatically triggers a recount when a race margin falls below 100 votes or one-fourth of 1%, whichever is less, and the finalized margins were measured against that rule. The Hawaii Supreme Court's invalidation of a tied primary that prompted a special do-over shows the court's continuing role in resolving contested Hawaii elections.
Voters whose ballots were rejected for signature deficiencies had a five-business-day window to cure them, and the final results now determine who takes office in several Hawaii County Council and legislative seats. The narrow margins in several races make the outcomes directly consequential for local representation.
The takeaway
Close races can shift by a few votes once every valid ballot is counted, so results are only settled after the cure window and the legal challenge period have both closed.
What happens next
Legal challenges contesting the general election final results can be filed with the Hawaii Supreme Court until 4:30 p.m. Nov. 23.
Further reading
For background on how ballots are counted and contested, see the Elections section.
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