Election Rumors Vs. Facts

Aloha from the Office of Elections!    March 2 2026

As the 2026 Elections approach, we know your social media feeds will be filled with election related updates. Our role is to help you cut through the noise with accurate and reliable information about voting in Hawaii. See the facts below.

On Voter Registration…

Rumor: Voters are required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship to register and vote.

Fact: Hawaii voters are not required to provide proof of U.S. citizenship to register or vote.

The Office of Elections is continuing to monitor developments in Congress, and should there be changes to federal election law, we will provide guidance on its impacts to Hawaii’s voter registration and voting process. Any changes to voter registration procedures and/or requirements will be reflected on our website at elections.hawaii.gov.

Rumor: Because proof of U.S. citizenship is not required, there are no guardrails to prevent non-citizens from voting in Hawaii’s elections.

Fact: There have been no confirmed findings of widespread non-citizen voting occurring in Hawaii’s elections.

When registering to vote, every applicant must attest that the information they provide is true, including confirming that they are a U.S. citizen. Providing false information is a serious offense, and anyone who knowingly submits inaccurate information on a voter registration application may be guilty of a Class C felony.

On Voter Fraud…

Rumor: There are high incidents of resident voting on ballots that are not their own.

Fact: Reports of high incidents of voters fraudulently casting ballots that are not their own are without merit. Suspected incidents of voter fraud are referred to law enforcement for thorough investigation, and there have been no findings of widespread voter fraud since implementing statewide elections by mail in 2020.

Election officials utilize a multi-pronged system of safeguards to combat fraudulent voting, including:

To prevent voters from voting a ballot that is not their own: Ballots must pass signature verification to be counted. Officials compare the signature on the voted ballot return envelope, to a signature associated with the voter’s registration. This signature verification process acts to confirm the identity of the voter and prevent bad actors from casting a ballot that is not their own.

Want to Know More?

Visit elections.hawaii.gov for the facts on ballot processing, Election Day voting, post-election audits and more.