Hawaii holds its state primary on Saturday with nine candidates competing for the Democratic and Republican nominations to succeed Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke. Luke has faced legal troubles, having pleaded not guilty in July to bribery charges related to her 2022 campaign when she served as a state lawmaker. She has been on unpaid leave since April, with state official Keith Regan serving as acting lieutenant governor. The lieutenant governorship position has historically served as a pathway to higher office in Hawaii, with current Governor Josh Green and U.S. Senators Mazie Hirono and Brian Schatz all having held the role previously.
The Democratic primary field includes five candidates, with Kauai County Mayor Derek Kawakami leading in fundraising and receiving substantial support from a political action committee associated with the carpenters union, which has spent approximately $2 million on his behalf. The Republican primary features four candidates. In addition to the lieutenant governor race, Governor Green is seeking reelection against three Democratic primary challengers, while Republicans have a two-way gubernatorial primary.
In Hawaii’s 1st Congressional District, Democratic U.S. Representative Ed Case is pursuing a seventh full term but faces four primary opponents. His challenger state Senator Jarrett Keohokalole has criticized Case for voting in April 2025 to support Trump’s SAVE Act, which would require voters to prove U.S. citizenship when registering for federal elections. Case has stated that the version he supported included accommodations for voters unable to provide documentation, such as written attestations of citizenship, and has voted against subsequent versions lacking such provisions. The district’s heavily Democratic composition means the Democratic primary winner will face Republican Adriel Lam in the general election.
Approximately 179,000 ballots had been cast by Tuesday ahead of the Saturday election. Hawaii conducts voting primarily by mail, with less than 2% of voters casting ballots in person during the 2024 primary. Polls close at 7 p.m. local time, with results expected to be released in multiple updates beginning around 1:30 a.m. ET on Sunday. About half of Hawaii’s 25 state Senate seats and all 51 state House seats are contested, with Democrats holding commanding majorities in both chambers.
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