The Hawaii Legislature adjourned its 2026 regular session on May 8 after passing seven election-related bills and one resolution. Governor Josh Green (D) signed all seven bills between April and July.

Among those bills was SB 2471, which amends state law to modify the powers granted to corporations. The bill establishes that corporations have artificial-person powers, defined as the ability to carry out their business or other affairs, but they cannot engage in election or ballot measure activity in Hawaii.

Supporters of the bill said they aimed to limit how the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision applies to corporate political spending in the state.

In that ruling, the Supreme Court held that independent corporate election spending is protected by the First Amendment. The ruling struck down parts of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, a federal campaign finance law.

SB 2471 passed the House on May 8 with 41 Democrats and nine Republicans voting in favor and one Republican voting in opposition. That same day, it passed the Senate unanimously. Green signed the bill on May 14.

Lawmakers also enacted SB 2239, which amends the state’s automatic voter registration system to register applicants for driver’s licenses and state IDs to vote unless they affirmatively decline to be registered. Previously, individuals were not registered to vote unless they affirmatively opted into automatic registration.

The final version of SB 2239 passed the Senate 24-1 on May 6, with 21 Democrats and three Republicans voting in favor and one Democrat voting against. The bill then passed the House later that day with 11 members, eight Republicans and three Democrats, voting in opposition. Green signed the bill on May 29.

Other election bills enacted in 2026 include:

• HB 2050, which increases the expenditure limits for candidates participating in the public campaign finance program and increases the amount of public financing a candidate may receive.
• HB 2099, which revises deadlines for filling candidate and state Senate vacancies.
• SB 2143, which requires certain officials within the Office of Elections to temporarily act in the position of chief election officer if that position is unfilled.
• SB 2247, which prohibits executive branch employees who are nominated by the governor to compensated, Senate-confirmed positions from hosting or organizing political fundraisers.
• SB 2532, which requires candidates to submit various campaign finance reports electronically, rather than mailing or delivering the documents.

In addition, the Senate approved SR 99, a resolution urging the state department of education to provide voter preregistration and eligibility information to high school students.

Hawaii enacted five election-related bills in 2025, six bills in 2024, and 11 bills in 2023.