Hawaii Absentee Voter Guide

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

Important Deadlines

• Voter Registration Form: Received at least 30 days before the election
• Absentee Ballot Application: Apply no earlier than 60 days and no later than 7 days before the election
• Voted Absentee Ballot: Received by close of polls on Election Day

How to vote by absentee ballot

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. 

NOTE: 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.

Verify your voter registration

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

Make sure you're eligble to vote by absentee ballot

Good news! Any registered voter can vote absentee by absentee ballot in Hawaii.

Apply for your 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. 

Receive, complete and return your voted ballot

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. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to provide ID when I register to vote?

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.

Do I need to provide ID when I vote by absentee ballot?

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 or with your voted 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.

Can I vote by absentee ballot on a permanent basis?

YES. Hawaii offers no-excuse permanent absentee voting, so if you're registered, you can add yourself to the permanent absentee voter list.  Download the Hawaii Permanent Absentee Application and mail the completed application to your County Clerk.  The address is on the form. 

You will remain on the list of Permanent Absentee Voters unless you fail to return a voter ballot by 6:00 p.m. election day in both the primary and general election, register to vote in another jurisdiction, or fail to keep your voter registration updated.

Additional Information