Bill > HB2528

This bill proposes to amend the Hawaii State Constitution to implement ranked-choice voting in all elections and eliminate primary elections. Ranked-choice voting, also known as instant-runoff voting, allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference, and if no candidate receives a majority of first-choice votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed based on the voters' next choices, continuing until a candidate secures over 50% of the vote. This system aims to ensure elected officials have broader support, prevent "spoiler" effects where third-party candidates can inadvertently help elect a less preferred candidate, and potentially increase voter turnout and diversity in candidate pools. By eliminating primary elections, which currently have low voter participation and incur significant costs, Hawaii would streamline its election process and focus resources on a single, more inclusive general election.

Justice

https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=HB&billnumber=2528&year=2026