On July 20, the Honolulu Charter Review Commission voted 10-3 to refer a ranked choice voting (RCV) measure to the November ballot. If the measure passes, RCV would be used to elect Honolulu’s mayor, City Council, and prosecuting attorney beginning in 2032. 

RCV would improve elections in Hawaii’s capital and largest city – home to nearly 70% of the state’s population. The most populous cities in six other states already use ranked choice voting in their elections. 

Currently, Honolulu uses two-round nonpartisan elections. All candidates compete in a spring primary, and the top two candidates from the primary advance to the general election. However, if one candidate receives 50% or more of the primary vote, they are elected and the general election is cancelled. That means races are frequently decided in the primary, when turnout is lower and less representative. 

For instance, in Honolulu’s 2024 elections, the primary had 32% turnout – compared to 61% for the general election. Yet every local position – including the mayor, five Council seats, and prosecuting attorney – was determined in the low-turnout primary. 

Ranked choice voting would solve that problem, and make the general election the most important election. If there are five or fewer candidates – usually the case in Honolulu’s elections – all candidates would advance to the high-turnout general election in November. Voters would be able to rank candidates in order of preference; if no candidate received a majority of first-choice support, there would be an “instant runoff” to determine a majority winner.

Ranked choice voting would also be used in primary elections, with the top five advancing to November. If a primary field has more than five candidates – which is uncommon in Honolulu – ranked choice voting would ensure voters that if their first choice can’t advance, their ballot would count for their next choice.

Camron Hurt of Common Cause Hawaii and former Hawaii State Representative Beth Fukumoto have been among the local voices supporting RCV.

Ranked choice voting is one of the key ingredients for… moving away from party politics and more into the candidate politics.

– Camron Hurt

Ranked choice voting would improve Hawaii’s elections by increasing competition, strengthening representation and encouraging voter participation.

– Beth Fukumoto

Notably, RCV already has a record of success in Hawaii. The state Democratic Party used RCV for the first time in its 2020 presidential primary, and in 2022, the state adopted RCV for special federal elections and filling county council vacancies.

To learn more about RCV in the Aloha State, visit Common Cause Hawaii. To help bring RCV to your community, find an RCV group near you!