Election Integrity Scorecard: Hawaii | The Heritage Foundation

from Heritage Foundation, September, 2026

Every citizen's vote is sacred. The vote is how we guarantee that our government remains of the people, by the people, and for the people. Americans need and deserve elections that they can trust and have confidence in the final results. Legitimate voters should be able to vote in privacy without being harassed, secure in the knowledge that their vote will not be lost, stolen, altered, or negated by a vote cast by an illegitimate voter. Americans need and deserve a secure and transparent system in which fraud can be easily detected, and where false allegations can be dispelled. Election laws should be strongly enforced by state authorities to deter election crimes or fraudulent activity. Americans need and deserve a system in which it is easy to vote and hard to cheat.

In order to help voters, state legislators, election officials, and all Americans who are interested in ensuring a fair and secure election process, The Heritage Foundation has published this Election Integrity Scorecard, which compares the election laws and regulations of each state and the District of Columbia that affect the security and integrity of the process to the Foundation's best-practices recommendations.

As a reminder, however, even the best laws are not worth much if responsible officials do not enforce them rigorously. It is up to the citizens of each state to make sure that their elected and appointed public officials do just that.

State Scorecard: Hawaii

• Score 22
• Rank 51
• Overall Score 22/100

Q: The state requires all voters to present ID for in-person voting? (full credit for photo ID only, partial credit for allowing non-photo ID)
A: No ⓘ  0/6

Q: The state requires a photo ID or a unique identifier, such as a driver’s license serial number or last four digits of SSN (SSN4), for absentee voting?
A: No ⓘ  0/6

Q: The state provides a free photo ID for those who cannot afford a state-issued ID?
A: No ⓘ  0/6

Q: The state does not allow the use of an affidavit exception by the voter to a photo ID requirement?
A: No ⓘ  0/2

Q: State election officials run data comparisons between the statewide voter registration list and the DMV?
A: Yes ⓘ  1/1

Q: State election officials run data comparisons between the statewide voter registration list and state corrections department (for felons whose ability to vote has been taken away)?
A: Yes ⓘ  1/1

Q: State election officials run data comparisons between the statewide voter registration list and state vital records?
A: Yes ⓘ  2/2

Q: State election officials run data comparisons between the statewide voter registration list and Social Security Administration death record?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: State election officials run data comparisons between the statewide voter registration list and state welfare and public assistance agencies to find information relevant to registration such as address changes, deaths, citizenship status, or other factors affecting eligibility?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: Election officials verify the residence address on all new voter registration forms by comparing it to county tax records or another residential address database to ensure that the address is not actually a commercial or industrial address, or a vacant or undeveloped lot in a residential area?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: If the answer to the previous question is “yes,” election officials check to see how many individuals are registered at that address in order to find any anomalies, such as a large number of individuals registered at a single-family home?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: Election officials investigate the registrations of individuals registered at the same address with only slight discrepancies in their names?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: State election officials provide an annual report to their state legislatures on their voter registration maintenance procedures?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: State election officials use the U.S. Postal Service’s National Change of Address (NCOA) system to find voters who have moved from their registered address?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: State election officials access any commercially available data such as from credit agencies to verify voter registration information?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: The state shares voter registration information with at least one other state that it compares with its voter registration data to remove or put in suspense individuals who are registered in multiple states?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: The state shares voter registration information with four or more other states that it compares with its voter registration data to remove or put in suspense individuals who are registered in multiple states?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: The state voter registration form asks registrants to identify their previous address of registration?
A: Yes ⓘ  2/2

Q: State election officials notify the previous registration office of the applicant’s new registration?
A: Yes ⓘ  2/2

Q: Voter registration lists are made available to candidates, political parties, nonprofit organizations, and the public?
A: Yes ⓘ  1/1

Q: If a state has online voter registration, the registration is limited only to individuals who have a state driver’s license or nondriver’s license photo ID issued by the DMV?
A: Yes ⓘ  1/1

Q: State law conditions requests from federal courts for a state’s voter registration or DMV list to use for federal juries on an agreement by the federal courts to notify state election officials if an individual on that list is found to be disqualified because of felony conviction or non-citizenship?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: The absentee ballot needs to be notarized or witnessed (with identifying information such as name, address, telephone number, and signature)?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: There is a limit on number of absentee ballots one individual can witness?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: The state has a signature comparison requirement?
A: Yes ⓘ  1/1

Q: There is a stay-in-envelope requirement for completed absentee ballots until voter information has been verified?
A: Yes ⓘ  1/1

Q: The state requires a signed voter request for an absentee ballot?
A: Yes ⓘ  1/1

Q: The state does not allow a permanent absentee ballot list?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: The state does not automatically mail absentee ballot request forms to all registered voters?
A: No ⓘ  0/2

Q: The state does not automatically mail absentee ballots to all registered voters?
A: No ⓘ  0/4

Q: The state requires the receipt of all ballots by the close of polls on election day? (with the exception of overseas military ballots)
A: Yes ⓘ  3/3

Q: The state does not use unattended, unsecure drop boxes?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: The state has procedures to investigate the validity of a registration when an absentee ballot is returned as undeliverable by the post office?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: The state does not allow third-party strangers, other than immediate family or a caregiver, to pick up and deliver a voter's absentee ballot?
A: No ⓘ  0/4

Q: Does the state give full and complete access to election observers?
A: Yes ⓘ  2/2

Q: The state uses the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement (SAVE) Program to help identify non-citizens who register to vote? (2 points; 1 additional point if the state reviews the voter registration list through SAVE on a quarterly or annual basis)
A: No ⓘ  0/3

Q: State election officials utilize state and federal jury information to verify citizenship?
A: No ⓘ  0/2

Q: Has the state instituted documentary proof of citizenship for registration?
A: No ⓘ  0/3

Q: Does the state driver's license agency provide citizenship data to the chief election official to verify citizenship or provide documentation to confirm citizenship on a regular or monthly basis?
A: No ⓘ  0/2

Q: Does the state direct its counties or localities to independently enter into agreements and use the federal SAVE database?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: Does the state require the notation of drivers licenses or state identification cards issued to non-citizens or citizens?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: Does the state require a replacement of a driver's license or state identification with a change in citizenship status?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: The state requires those who are assisting voters to provide their identity and reason for assistance?
A: No ⓘ  0/3

Q: The state does not connect voting and tabulating machines to the internet?
A: Yes ⓘ  1/1

Q: The state requires the tabulation of votes to be continuous until completed?
A: Yes ⓘ  1/1

Q: The state legislature has standing to sue (statutorily or via state constitution) to ensure compliance with election laws as passed by the legislature?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: Any changes to the state's election laws via a court settlement require the approval of the state legislature?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: Residents of the state have standing to sue election officials who do not abide by state election laws? (general standing to contest the results of an election is not sufficient for purposes of this question)
A: Yes ⓘ  1/1

Q: The state requires registration prior to election day?
A: No ⓘ  0/3

Q: The state does not automatically register voters?
A: No ⓘ  0/3

Q: The state does not allow the private funding of election officials and government agencies?
A: No ⓘ  0/3

Q: State or local officials, or independent outside auditors, perform a post-election manual check of ballots, or an effective portion of them, to verify that votes were tabulated correctly?
A: Yes ⓘ  1/1

Q: State or local officials, or independent outside auditors, perform a post-election audit of the procedures and processes, or an effective portion of them, to verify that state and federal election laws and regulations were followed, including those requiring maintenance of an accurate voter registration list?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: No political jurisdiction in the state uses ranked choice voting in its elections?
A: No ⓘ  0/1

Q: Does the state prohibit foreign funding for state ballot measures, initiatives, or referendums?
A: No ⓘ  0/3

---30---

Note: Updated September 8, 2026. The scorecard was first published Dec. 14, 2021, assessing all state election laws as written as of the original publication date. In September 2026, the Heritage Foundation increased state scores for implementation of proof of citizenship in registration and related list maintenance legislation, and adoption of the bans on foreign funding of state ballot measures. The scorecard continues to be regularly updated as states make reforms and changes to those laws.