Elections

Lt. Gov.’s Books Were A Mess. Political Insiders Say It’s Not The Norm Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2025

Lt. Gov.’s Books Were A Mess. Political Insiders Say It’s Not The Norm

It’s now up to the AG to decide whether to prosecute Sylvia Luke and some of her campaign staffers for alleged campaign finance violations.  

Trump Administration Sends Threatening Letter To Hawaiʻi Elections Chief Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2020

Trump Administration Sends Threatening Letter To Hawaiʻi Elections Chief

The U.S. Justice Department is telling elections officials nationwide they could be criminally liable if they make it possible for non-citizens to vote.

Beth Fukumoto: Making Voting Harder To Address A Bogus Threat David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Beth Fukumoto: Making Voting Harder To Address A Bogus Threat

The true aim of new laws to make voting more secure is to limit participation in democracy.

Federal DOJ Sues Hawaiʻi For Refusing To Provide Voter Data Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Federal DOJ Sues Hawaiʻi For Refusing To Provide Voter Data

So far the Trump administration has sued 18 states for failing to come through with some or all of the voter registration records it is demanding.

Beth Fukumoto: The Case For Ranked Choice Voting Beth Fukumoto/Civil Beat/2025

Beth Fukumoto: The Case For Ranked Choice Voting

The alternative election method offers clear advantages and clear trade-offs.

Republican National Committee Sues Hawaiʻi Over Voter Rolls Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2020

Republican National Committee Sues Hawaiʻi Over Voter Rolls

Counties are actually responsible for maintaining the rolls, but the suit argues that the state must have information as well.

Elections Commission Wants State Auditor To Examine Hawaiʻi’s 2024 Vote Screenshot/2025

Elections Commission Wants State Auditor To Examine Hawaiʻi’s 2024 Vote

The commission also asked the Legislature to consider returning to one-day, in-person voting, and narrowly rejected firing chief election officer Scott Nago.

Pay-To-Play: Hawaiʻi CEO Pressured Staff To Make Political Gifts David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025

Pay-To-Play: Hawaiʻi CEO Pressured Staff To Make Political Gifts

Court documents in an ongoing felony case reveal new details about how employees were reimbursed for making campaign donations.

Scott Nago’s Bumpy Ride As Hawaiʻi’s Chief Election Officer Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Scott Nago’s Bumpy Ride As Hawaiʻi’s Chief Election Officer

He’s held the job longer than anyone else in state history and been at the center of controversy nearly every election cycle.

Ex-Mitsunaga Secretary Charged For Illegal Political Donations David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Ex-Mitsunaga Secretary Charged For Illegal Political Donations

Terri Ann Otani, who was acquitted in a federal criminal conspiracy trial last year, faces prison time and hefty fines if convicted of the new charges.