Hawaii Primary Election Results: Two Dozen Candidates Win Seats Unopposed
Honolulu, Sunday, 9 August 2026.
Hawaii voters went to the polls on August 8, 2026, where twenty-four candidates secured public office without facing competition, highlighting the Democratic Party’s enduring political dominance.
Historic Primary Turnout and Democratic Dominance
Hawaii voters went to the polls on August 8, 2026, where twenty-four candidates secured public office without facing competition, highlighting the Democratic Party’s enduring political dominance [3]. Voters across Hawaii participated in the state’s primary election on Saturday, August 8, 2026, setting the stage for key state leadership positions including the gubernatorial race [1]. As results are tallied, business leaders and policymakers are closely watching candidate platforms on economic growth, housing affordability, and infrastructure development, particularly given the Democratic Party’s nearly two-decade dominance in statewide office holding [4]. Lines across the islands officially closed for in-person voting on Primary Election Day, with voter service centers operational across Oahu, Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii Island [2].
Uncontested Seats and Legislative Composition
On August 7, 2026, twenty-four candidates in Hawaiʻi were officially elected to public office because they ran unopposed in the primary election and face no opposition in the November general election [3]. The newly elected officials include 5 state senators, 13 state representatives, and 6 county council members, totaling 24 secured seats before the general election [3]. The 5 State Senate seats secured are District 5, District 8, District 11, District 15, and District 21, all held by Democrats [3]. Additionally, 13 State House seats were secured without opposition, including District 1, District 6, District 7, District 9, District 15, District 22, District 25, District 27, District 33, District 35, District 38, District 41, and District 48 [3]. Six County Council seats were also decided, including positions in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi County, and Maui County [3].
Gubernatorial Race and Executive Branch Developments
Incumbent Democrat Governor Josh Green is running for a second term, facing three primary challengers in the ongoing count [4]. Live results from the 2026 Hawaii Governor primary election show Republican and Democrat votes being counted by candidate and county [1]. In a significant development for the executive ticket, Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke withdrew from the race following a July 2026 indictment for bribery and campaign finance violations [4]. Leading candidates for the Democratic nomination for Lieutenant Governor include state Rep. Della Au Belatti and Kauai mayor Derek Kawakami [4]. Republican gubernatorial candidates are on the ballot but are considered long-shots in the state [4].
Congressional Races and Future Election Timeline
In the U.S. House, Democratic incumbent Ed Case leads District 1 with 58,393 votes against challenger Jarrett Keohokalole’s 34,878 votes, with total votes cast in the race reaching 95394 [5][8]. In District 2, incumbent Jill Tokuda faces three opponents, maintaining a strong lead with 91.8% of the vote in early counts [8]. The general election for identified legislative districts is scheduled for November 2026 [3]. Polls closed for the Hawaii primary election on August 9, 2026, at 1:00 AM Eastern Time, and ballots returned by mail were required to be received by this deadline [4]. A special election for one Senate vacancy will be held later this year, alongside the general election contests [4].