Maui Election 2026

Gov. Josh Green today announced the appointment of Danielle Bass to represent Senate District 18, filling the vacancy created by the retirement of State Sen. Michelle Kidani.

Check back throughout the night for election results as they are released, with a focus on races of Maui County interest.

A live televised broadcast covering the 2026 Primary Elections takes place on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026 at the Akakū studios featuring host Rick Nava and Hawaiʻi Journalism Initiative’s Cammy Clark.

It’s Primary Election Day in Hawai‘i. There are 17 official Ballot Dropboxes in Maui County that are open until Aug. 8 at 7 p.m. The Wailuku, Lāna’i, Moloka’i, and Lahaina Voter Service Centers are open for extended hours today from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for in-person service.

The reluctance to vote for OHA is a complicated mix of Native Hawaiians who don’t want to participate in an American election system, non-Hawaiians who feel like they shouldn’t decide the agency’s leaders and voters who simply don’t know what OHA does.

Friends of Richard Bissen announced the endorsement of the Hawaiʻi Longshore Division of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) in Mayor Richard Bissen’s campaign for re-election.

Batangan has garnered support from a diverse range of unions in Maui County, including 15 different labor unions.

The state capitol has become a hive of activity to support Primary Election Day on Aug. 8. The Office of Elections moved into the Capitol on July 27 to set up ballot counting and processing operations. 

Our Revolution, a national progressive grassroots political organization originating from Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, has endorsed state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole in the Aug. 8 Democratic primary for Hawaiʻi’s 1st Congressional District.

The American Federation of Government Employees has endorsed US Reps. Jill Tokuda and Ed Case for re-election to Congress representing Hawaiʻi in the 2026 midterm election. Tokuda represents Hawaiʻi’s 2nd Congressional District, which includes Neighbor Islands and rural Oʻahu. She has held that seat since 2023. Voters have until Aug. 8 to cast ballots in […]

United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Bernadette Acaso, 19, a Filipino national residing in Honolulu, Oʻahu and Kahului, Maui, was charged by criminal complaint on July 22, 2026, with unlawfully voting as an alien.

Both campaigns are spending heavily on advertising as they jockey for the top spot at the ballot box on Aug. 8.

State House District 14 candidate Sne Patel today announced the endorsement of the State of Hawaiʻi Organization of Police Officers, adding the support of Hawaiʻi’s largest law enforcement organization to his network of labor and community endorsements. 

The State of Hawaiʻi Organization of Police Officers (SHOPO) and the Hawaiʻi Fire Fighters Association (HFFA Local 1463) have officially endorsed Kauanoe Batangan in his Maui County Council race, securing him the unified backing of Maui County’s police officer and firefighter unions.

Green Party candidate Pāʻele Kiakona has earned the backing of some of Hawaiʻi’s most influential labor, healthcare, and environmental organizations, signaling growing momentum behind his campaign for West Maui’s House District 14. The newly announced slate of supporters includes UNITE HERE Local 5, the Hawaiʻi Nurses Association (HNA), Our Revolution Hawaiʻi, and 350 Hawaiʻi.

Citing his record of strengthening the Maui Fire Department and investing in public safety, the Hawaiʻi Fire Fighters Association Local 1463 has endorsed Mayor Richard Bissen for reelection.

The Maui County Clerk’s Office began opening Voter Service Centers on July 27, for the Primary Election on Aug. 8, 2026.

The Patsy T. Mink PAC announced its 2026 slate of 28 endorsed candidates. At the top of the slate is Della Au Belatti, the PAC’s endorsed candidate for lieutenant governor of Hawaiʻi. 

Longtime state airports manager Marvin Moniz has been endorsed by moderate Alice Lee, but four progressive candidates also are in the race for the Central Maui seat.

The Maui Hotel & Lodging Association hosted a nonpartisan “Get Out the Vote” event July 18 at Queen Kaʻahumanu Center, giving Maui residents a chance to learn about the election process and meet with candidates running for office this year. The event was an opportunity for voters to speak with 19 candidates. Organizers said thousands […]