Last Day to File as a Candidate for the 2026 Elections

News Release from Office of Elections, May 29, 2026

Pearl City – The deadline to file as a candidate for the 2026 Elections is Tuesday, June 2 by 4:30 PM. Election officials encourage prospective candidates to file early to allow time to resolve any issues that may arise during the process.

Candidate checklist:

• Signatures: Collect more than the minimum number of required signatures. If a voter’s registration cannot be verified, it will not count toward the requirement. Come prepared with extra signatures.
• Voter guide statement: Submit your candidate statement and photo for the voter guide before you come into file.
• ID and filing fee: Bring a valid ID and filing fee payable in cash, cashier’s check, certified check, or money order. Credit cards, debit cards, and personal checks are not accepted.

For complete information on running for office, visit elections.hawaii.gov.

What’s next for voters?

Following the candidate filing deadline, election officials will then finalize the list of candidates for the 2026 Elections and begin preparing ballots based on each voter’s district. All registered voters will receive a ballot at their mailing address on file.

The official list of candidates will be available via the Candidate Report at elections.hawaii.gov.

Key Dates:

• Candidate filing ends: June 2, 2026, at 4:30 PM
• Ballots arrive by mail: July 21, 2026
• Primary Election, ballots due: August 8, 2026

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Candidate Reports

from Office of Elections

Candidate Filing for the 2026 Elections begins February 2, 2026 and ends June 2, 2026. The candidate report, containing a list of candidates who issued and filed a nomination paper, is being posted here starting on February 2, 2026. The report is updated Monday – Friday, excluding state holidays, after 4:30pm.

MORE: Candidate Filing Begins – Here’s What You Need to Know

To view candidate contributions and spending, visit the Campaign Spending Commission.

To view candidate financial disclosures for state candidates, visit the State Ethics Commission.

Who’s running for office?

Candidate Report-- Updated Daily

PDF: May 29, 2026 -- 391 Candidates Pull Papers, 239 File, 1 Withdrawn -- For legislative seats, 118 Democrats and 57 Republicans have pulled papers. 

PDF: May 22, 2026 -- 353 Candidates Pull Papers, 171 File, 1 Withdrawn -- For legislative seats, 114 Democrats and 56 Republicans have pulled papers. 

With 11 days to go until the June 2 deadline, here is a look at the 171 candidates who have FILED (not pulled) papers to run:

-- the only candidates for Governor are Democrat Josh Green and Republican Gary Cordery.  Neither has a Primary opponent.  This will hurt Cordery’s ability to claim public funds for a Primary campaign.

-- each party has two candidates for Lt Governor -- Democrats Derek Kawakami vs John Choi – Republicans Robert Peters vs Ku-lono Cuadra.  (Cuadra pulled papers for over a dozen races, but filed only for the Republican LG nomination.)

--76 candidates have filed for legislative races—55 Democrats and 21 Republicans. 

-- SD20 Ewa Beach features a three-way Republican Primary in SD20 (Ewa Beach) between incumbent Kurt Fevella, former Representative Bob McDermott, and former Democrat Rida Cabanilla, who is known mostly for knowingly and repeatedly hiring a convicted child molester as her office manager.   The only Democrat running so far is sportscaster Markus Owens.  

PDF: May 15, 2026 -- 333 Candidates Pull Papers, 125 File, 1 Withdrawn -- For legislative seats, 106 Democrats and 48 Republicans have pulled papers.   

PDF: May 8, 2026 -- 316 Candidates Pull Papers, 100 File, 1 Withdrawn -- For legislative seats, 99 Democrats and 45 Republicans have pulled papers. 

PDF: May 1, 2026 -- 302 Candidates Pull Papers, 83 File, 1 Withdrawn -- BIG NEWS --Bu La'ia (aka Shawn K Hill) pulls papers for Governor as Libertarian --website bu4gov.com.  For legislative seats, 91 Democrats and 45 Republicans have pulled papers. 

PDF: April 23, 2026 -- 286 Candidates Pull Papers, 75 File, 0 Withdrawn -- so far Kawakami and Choi pull papers for Lt Governor.  For legislative seats, 87 Democrats and 45 Republicans have pulled papers. 

PDF: April 16, 2026 -- 276 Candidates Pull Papers, 66 File, 0 Withdrawn -- Only no-name candidates for Lt Governor so far.  For legislative seats, 84 Democrats and 44 Republicans have pulled papers. UPDATE: Luke Quits Race After Polls Show Her Losing 2-1

PDF: April 9, 2026 -- 263 Candidates Pull Papers, 64 File, 0 Withdrawn -- Only no-name candidates for Lt Governor so far.  For legislative seats, 79 Democrats and 40 Republicans have pulled papers. 

PDF: April 2, 2026 -- 251 Candidates Pull Papers, 57 File, 0 Withdrawn -- Josh Green pulls papers for Governor--only no-name candidates for Lt Governor so far.  For legislative seats, 75 Democrats and 40 Republicans have pulled papers. 

PDF: March 27, 2026 -- 236 Candidates Pull Papers, 52 File, 0 Withdrawn -- Only  'no-name' candidates have pulled papers for Governor and Lt Governor.  For legislative seats, 70 Democrats and 37 Republicans have pulled papers. 

PDF: March 20, 2026 -- 225 Candidates Pull Papers, 41 File, 0 Withdrawn -- Only  'no-name' candidates have pulled papers for Governor and Lt Governor.  For legislative seats, 68 Democrats and 35 Republicans have pulled papers.  NOTEWORTHY:  Former Democrat State Rep Rida Cabanilla pulled papers to run for SD20 as a Republican.  Everything you need to know about Rep. Rida Cabanilla: "Child molester back at work at Hawaii Legislature"  Four Republicans have pulled papers in SD20: Incumbent Sen Kurt Fevella, former State Rep Bob McDermott, Cabanilla, and Paul Chapman.  None have yet filed.  Only one candidate has pulled papers to run as a Dermocrat: Mark Owens.

PDF: March 13, 2026 -- 215 Candidates Pull Papers, 33 File, 0 Withdrawn -- Only  'no-name' candidates have pulled papers for Governor and Lt Governor.  For legislative seats, 66 Democrats and 33 Republicans have pulled papers.  

PDF: March 6, 2026 -- 203 Candidates Pull Papers, 24 File, 0 Withdrawn -- Only  'no-name' candidates have pulled papers for Governor and Lt Governor.  For legislative seats, 61 Democrats and 33 Republicans have pulled papers.  ('Ku Lono Cuadra' has now pulled papers for 13 different races under several different parties.)

PDF: February 27, 2026 -- 178 Candidates Pull Papers, 24 File, 0 Withdrawn -- Still no candidates for Governor and Lt Governor.  For legislative seats, 51 Democrats and 33 Republicans have pulled papers.  (One candidate, 'Ku Lono Cuadra', has pulled papers for 11 different races.)

PDF: February 20, 2026 -- 146 Candidates Pull Papers, 18 File, 0 Withdrawn -- Still no candidates for Governor and Lt Governor.  For legislative seats, 35 Democrats and 32 Republicans have pulled papers.

PDF: February 13, 2026 -- 126 Candidates Pull Papers, 8 File, 0 Withdrawn -- Still no candidates for Governor and Lt Governor.  For legislative seats, 29 Democrats and 29 Republicans have pulled papers.

PDF: February 6, 2026 -- 94 Candidates Pull Papers, 6 File, 0 Withdrawn -- For legislative seats, 19 Democrats and 25 Republicans have pulled papers.