Hawaii Revised Statutes

Haw. Rev. Stat. § 11-2 (2026)

  Chief election officer; duties

✓ current as of July 2026
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     §11-2  Chief election officer; duties.  (a)  The chief election officer shall supervise all state elections.  The chief election officer may delegate responsibilities in state elections within a county to the clerk of that county or to other specified persons.

     (b)  The chief election officer shall be responsible for the maximization of registration of eligible electors throughout the State.  In maximizing registration, the chief election officer shall make an effort to equalize registration between districts, with particular effort in those districts in which the chief election officer determines registration is lower than desirable.  The chief election officer, in carrying out this function, may make surveys, carry on house-to-house canvassing, and assist or direct the clerk in any other area of registration.

     (c)  The chief election officer shall maintain data concerning registered voters, elections, apportionment, and districting.  The chief election officer shall use this data to assist the reapportionment commission provided for under Article IV of the Constitution.

     (d)  The chief election officer shall be responsible for public education with respect to voter registration and information.

     (e)  The chief election officer shall adopt rules governing elections in accordance with chapter 91. [L 1970, c 26, pt of §2; am L 1979, c 51, §5; gen ch 1985; am L 1990, c 116, §2; am L Sp 1995, c 27, §§4, 15; am L 1996, c 173, §§2, 3, 8; am L 1997, c 2, §17; am L 1999, c 141, §3; am L 2003, c 8, §2]

 

Cross References

 

  Reapportionment commission, see chapter 25.

 

Law Journals and Reviews

 

  A History of Recent Reapportionment in Hawaii.  22 HBJ 171.

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 13 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 1973–2026 · leading case: Dupree v. Hiraga, 219 P.3d 1084 (Haw. 2009).
Dupree v. Hiraga, 219 P.3d 1084 (Haw. 2009). · cites it 6× “” HRS § 11-2 (1968). 19 Similar provisions were included in Hawai'i’s election laws since at least 1897.”
Watland v. Lingle, 85 P.3d 1079 (Haw. 2004). · cites it 5× “" On or about July 5, 2002 (within ninety days of the general election as required by HRS § 11-2(e)), Dwayne D. Yoshina, the Chief Election Officer for the State, received the LRB voter education material respecting the amendment.”
State Ex Rel. Bronster v. Yoshina, 932 P.2d 316 (Haw. 1997). · cites it 2× “At that time, HRS § 11-2 provided that the lieutenant governor was the chief election officer.”
Waters v. Nago, 468 P.3d 60 (Haw. 2019). · cites it 2× “See HRS § 11-2(a) (2009) (tasking the Chief Election Officer with supervision of all state elections); HRS § 11-91.”
Coray v. Ariyoshi, 506 P.2d 13 (Haw. 1973). · cites it 6× “STATUTES HRS § 11-2 provides: § 11-2 Chief election officer.”
State v. Park, 525 P.2d 586 (Haw. 1974). · cites it 2× “On receipt of certified tabulations from the election officials concerned, the chief election officer or county clerk in county elections shall compile, certify, and release the election results.”
Unite Here! Local 5 v. City & Cnty. of Honolulu, 231 P.3d 423 (Haw. 2010). “As previously stated, the DPP had an independent obligation, pursuant to HAR § 11-2 00-13(c) to determine whether the information in the EIS was still adequate to support an informed decision regarding the subdivision application.”
Green Party of Hawaii v. Nago, 365 P.3d 987 (Haw. App. 2015). · cites it 2× “The Chief Election Officer's general mandate for rule-making, set forth in HRS §§ 11-2(e) & 11-4 (2009), was complied with through the promulgation of HAR chapters 3-171 through 3-176.”
Kostick v. Nago, 878 F. Supp. 2d 1124 (D. Haw. 2012). · cites it 2× “IV, §§ 2, 3; Haw.Rev.Stat. § 11-2. Where appropriate, we refer to all.”
Iwasa v. Nago, 148 Haw. 46 (Haw. 2019). · cites it 2× “See HRS § 11-2(a) (2009) (tasking the Chief Election Officer with supervision of all state elections); HRS § 11-91.”
Ahia v. Lee (Haw. 2023). · cites it 2× “, HRS § 11-2(a), (e) (2012) (“The chief election officer shall supervise all state elections” and “shall adopt rules governing elections[.”
Dicks v. Hawaii Repub. Party (D. Haw. 2023). “§ 11-2 ; (10) Haw Rev. Stat. § 11-2.8; and (11) Haw.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 11-2(a) — 4 cases
Waters v. Nago, 468 P.3d 60 (Haw. 2019). “See HRS § 11-2(a) (2009) (tasking the Chief Election Officer with supervision of all state elections); HRS § 11-91.”
State v. Park, 525 P.2d 586 (Haw. 1974). “On receipt of certified tabulations from the election officials concerned, the chief election officer or county clerk in county elections shall compile, certify, and release the election results.”
Iwasa v. Nago, 148 Haw. 46 (Haw. 2019). “See HRS § 11-2(a) (2009) (tasking the Chief Election Officer with supervision of all state elections); HRS § 11-91.”
Ahia v. Lee (Haw. 2023). “, HRS § 11-2(a), (e) (2012) (“The chief election officer shall supervise all state elections” and “shall adopt rules governing elections[.”
— Haw. Rev. Stat. § 11-2(e) — 2 cases
Watland v. Lingle, 85 P.3d 1079 (Haw. 2004). “" On or about July 5, 2002 (within ninety days of the general election as required by HRS § 11-2(e)), Dwayne D. Yoshina, the Chief Election Officer for the State, received the LRB voter education material respecting the amendment.”
Green Party of Hawaii v. Nago, 365 P.3d 987 (Haw. App. 2015). “The Chief Election Officer's general mandate for rule-making, set forth in HRS §§ 11-2(e) & 11-4 (2009), was complied with through the promulgation of HAR chapters 3-171 through 3-176.”
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