IN THE PRESS
Read what Oʻahu residents are saying about Question 5
University of Hawai’i News (10/16)
“[Question 5] would move the final decision in all contested city races to November, when voter turnout is typically higher, potentially broadening participation in choosing city officials, according to a new analysis from the University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization (UHERO).
Editorial Board, Honolulu Star-Advertiser (10/14)
“City elections are too often decided in the primary election, when a candidate endorsed by more than 50% of primary voters is elected, while the voters involved could be a fraction of those participating in the general election. Ranked-choice voting encourages more candidate and voter participation: Voters can choose a less-well-known candidate matching their views without fearing a “throwaway” vote; and rival candidates with shared goals but certain diverging positions can communicate with voters about their similarities as well as differences, so that multiple candidates don’t ‘spoil’ the success of a popular platform.”
Ian Bauer, Honolulu Star-Advertiser (9/24)
“Oahu voters will decide whether to make 20 changes to the Honolulu City Charter for the Nov. 3 general election. The proposed amendments include everything from food security, ranked-choice voting, housing and historic preservation, to elections, immigration enforcement, cultural stewardship and the structure of city government. The 13-member Honolulu Charter Commission, which convenes once every 10 years, formally submitted the 20 questions for the general-election ballot after more than a year of deliberations and public input.”
KHON (9/16)
“Honolulu voters will face 20 City Charter amendment questions on Nov. 3, 2026. Learn how the Charter Commission works and find info sessions.”
Beth Fukumoto, Honolulu Civil Beat (9/6)
“Ranked choice voting has only one real enemy in American politics, and it isn’t a political party. It’s incumbency… Ranked choice voting, which will be on Honolulu residents’ ballots in November, is one of the fastest growing voting reforms in the country. Seventeen cities, counties and states now use some version of ranked-choice voting, which advocates say broadens who can actually run and win. That’s precisely why the reform has gained powerful enemies.”
Editorial Board, Honolulu Star-Advertiser (8/16)
“Ranked choice voting has only one real enemy in American politics, and it isn’t a political party. It’s incumbency… In districts where there are several highly qualified candidates in the same party, ranked-choice voting can encourage a more diverse field of candidates to run and offer voters a meaningful way to express preferences without throwing their political party under the bus.”
Beth Fukumoto, Civil Beat (6/9)
“Ranked choice voting’s best-known benefits are eliminating the spoiler effect and freeing voters from feeling they’re wasting their vote. In a traditional winner-take-all system, two similar candidates splitting a race can hand victory to someone neither of their supporters preferred. It happens in our primaries all the time — voters pick the person they think can win, their first choice. Ranked choice removes that trap. Voters rank their true first choice, and if that candidate doesn’t advance, their vote moves to their next preference.”