Hawaii Absentee Voter Guide

Military and overseas voters should check out the Overseas Vote Foundation.  Long Distance Voter's forms and deadlines should only be used by voters with US mailing addresses.

Mail-In Deadlines

• Voter registration form: Received at least 30 days before the election
• Absentee ballot application: Received by 4:30pm on the Tuesday before the election
• Absentee ballot return: Received by close of polls on Election Day

Voter Registration

To register to vote in Hawaii you must:

• be a citizen of the United States
• be a resident of the State of Hawaii
• be at least 16 years old (you must be 18 years old by election day in order to vote)
• not be incarcerated for a felony conviction
• not be adjudicated by a court as “non compos mentis”

How to register to vote:

• Recommended: Use our Voter Registration Widget. Enter your information, print and sign the completed form, and mail it to the address printed on the form.  
• You can also download and complete the  Hawiii Voter Registration Form.  Sign and mail the completed forms to your County Clerk. The address is on the form. 

All Hawaii registrants must include their full Social Security number on their voter registration forms.  If you do not have a Social Security number, you must indicate this on your form.  If you have a Social Security number, and you do not print it on the form, your voter registration form will be rejected.

ID requirements for first time voters:

If you are a first time voter you must include a copy of your ID with your voter registration form. If you forget, you'll need to provide ID the first time you vote in person or by absentee ballot.  Acceptable forms of ID include a current and valid photo identification that shows your name (driver's license, US passport, student ID, military ID, work ID, tribal ID, etc) OR a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document that shows your name and address.

Verifying your voter registration and address:

Once your registration form has been received, your county clerk will mail a Notice of Voter Registration and Address Confirmation (NVRAC) card to your Hawaii address. If this card is undeliverable at that address, you will be required to complete a Registration Affidavit form (RAF) before voting is allowed.

If you do not receive notification that your registration was processed, you can contact your County Clerk to verify your registration. 

Absentee Voting

Absentee ballot rules:

Good news! Any registered voter can vote absentee.

How to apply for an absentee ballot:

Download Hawaii's Application for Absentee Ballot, fill it out and mail it to your County Clerk.  The address is listed on the form.  You must put your full Social Security number on your absentee ballot application, or your application will be rejected. 

ID requirements for absentee voters:

You do not need to provide ID if you've already voted in Hawaii at least once.  If you are a first time voter and you did not include a copy of your ID with your voter registration form, you must include it with your absentee ballot application.  Acceptable forms of ID include a current and valid photo identification that shows your name (driver's license, US passport, student ID, military ID, work ID, tribal ID, etc) OR a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document that shows your name and address.

Absentee ballot instructions:

The absentee ballot is pretty straightforward. Fill it out, sign where indicated and mail it back to your County Clerk.  Your absentee ballot must be received by the close of polls on election day.   

Additional Information