The polls are closed and voters had their say for who moves forward to compete for state and national seats in the Nov. 3 general election.

Outgoing Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami claimed the top spot in the Democratic primary for Hawai’i lieutenant governor; otherwise, it was a night owned by incumbents.

Governor and lieutenant governor

Incumbent Hawai‘i Gov. Josh Green, a physician from the Big Island, defeated several Democratic challengers to appear on the November ballot.

Green received 164,685 votes, or 82.8% of the total votes cast in the Democratic primary. His closest competition was Lauren Kapoliahi‘iaka Shim, who captured just 4.8% of the total vote with 9,519 votes.

The Associated Press called the governor’s race for incumbent Green shortly after the first results were released by state elections officials.

Green had already received 162,951 votes, or 89.6% of the total votes cast, by shortly after 7:30 p.m. Saturday, already well out-pacing his Democratic challengers Shim with 9,519 votes, or 5.2%; Teva Lucas-Tadeo with 6,192, or 3.4%; and Duke Bourgoin, who had 3,967, or 2.2% of the total vote.

Nonpartisan candidates John “Raghu” Giuffre, Bu Laia Hill, Clyde “Mac” McClain and Calvert Williamson did not meet either requirement to move forward to the general election.

Green will face off against Republican Gary Cordery, who AP called the race for in the GOP primary by shortly after 7:30 p.m. Saturday as well. Cordery had already received 30,019 votes, or 74.8% of the total ballots cast. His challenger Ken Fujiyama had 10,134 votes, or 25.2%.

In the hotly contested Hawai‘i lieutenant governor race, it was outgoing Kaua‘i County Mayor Derek Kawakami who came in at the top of the Democratic field, garnering 126,321 votes, or 63.4% of the total vote. His closest competitor Della Au Belatti received 47,070 votes, or 23.6%.

The AP also called this race shortly after 7:30 p.m. Saturday following the first results from the state.

Kawakami was declared the Democratic primary winner with 126,321 votes, or 67.3% of the total vote by that time, followed by Au Belatti with 47,070 votes, or 25.1%; John Choi, who had 11,106 votes, or 5.9%; Sam Puletasi with 1,860 votes, or just 1%; and Bobby Cuadra with only 0.7% of the vote.

On the Republican side, Daniel Anthony was declared victor, garnering 13,906 votes, or 37.1%, by shortly after 7:30 p.m. His closest competitor was Margaret Rose Mejia with 8,928 votes, or 23.8% of the total vote. Robert E. Peters received 7,864 votes, or 21%, and Hope Cresencia had 6,768 votes, or 18.1%.

Nonpartisan candidate Kilakila Kamau did not receive 10% of the total vote; however, he did receive 2,056 votes in Saturday’s election, which is more than the bottom two Democrats, so it looks as though he, too, will move ahead to the Nov. 3 general election.

State House and Senate

Incumbent Kaua‘i state Sen. Ronald Kouchi, who is also Hawai‘i Senate president, was the only candidate on a primary ballot Saturday. The Hawai‘i Senate District 8 lawmaker ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, winning re-election to his seat outright as the only candidate in the race.

Kaua‘i state Rep. Nadine Nakamura, who represents House District 15 and is also Hawai‘i House speaker, was the same. The incumbent was the lone candidate on any primary ballot in Saturday’s elections, running unopposed in the Democratic primary and outright winning re-election.

Incumbent Kaua‘i state House District 16 Rep. Luke Evslin was the only candidate on the Democratic primary ballot Saturday, automatically advancing to the Nov. 3 general election. He will compete against Republican David Hazlebeck, who was also the only GOP candidate in that primary and also automatically moves forward.

Kaua‘i state Rep. Daynette “Dee” Morikawa, incumbent for House District 17, won the Democratic primary with 2,870 votes, or 63.7% of the total vote, against challenger Chad K. Schimmelfennig, who received 1,087 votes, or 24.1% of the vote.

Morikawa will face Republican Misty Cluett, who was the only candidate in Saturday’s GOP primary and thus automatically moves forward to the November general election.

Office of Hawaiian Affairs

There was a crowded field of 15 total candidates hoping to move on to the November election for three at-large Office of Hawaiian Affairs at-large trustee seats.

This year, the top six finishers in the primary advance to the November general election, in which voters will choose three at-large trustees.

Those top six were:

• Brickwood M. Galuteria with 67,898 votes, or 9.2%, of the total vote.
• John Waihee IV with 64,259 votes, or 8.7%.
• Ikaika Anderson, who received 52,962 votes, or 7.2%.
• Keoni Souza with 49,684 votes, or 6.8%.
• Adrian “Kealii” Akina, who got 37,992 votes, or 5.2%.
• Kanekoa “Koa” Crabbe with 25,734 votes, or 3.5% of the total vote cast.

Remaining cadidates Karl Veto Baker, Shelby Pikachu Billionaire, Jackie Kahookele Burke, Michelle “Mikala” Costello, Clifford K. Kauaula, Brendon Kalei‘aina Lee, Philip “Kawika” Martin, R. Kunani Nihipali Sr. and Kalena A. Parish received between 23,716 and 7,908 votes, or from 3.2% to 1.1% of the vote.

U.S. Congress District II

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Jill Tokuda won the Democratic primary with 80,133 votes, or 83.8% of the total vote. Her closest competition in the Democratic primary was Steven King of the Big Island, who tallied just 3.6% of the total vote, or 3,434 votes.

The Associated Press called the race at 7:32 p.m. Saturday, shortly after the first results were reported by the state elections office.

Tokuda already had 78,900 votes, or 91.8% of the total votes cast, by that time, well ahead of her three Democratic challengers King, who had 3,314 vote, or 3.9%, by that time; Big Island resident Greg Guithues with 2,516 votes, or 2.9%; and Kirill Basin who had 1,263 votes, or just 1.5% of the total vote.

The incumbent will vie for her seat in November against Republican Brenton Awa, who was uncontested and automatically moves forward to the general election.

Nonpartisan candidates Edward Codelia and Randall Terry did not meet either requirement to move forward.

Voter turnout

Hawai‘i Office of Elections reported that total voter turnout in this year’s primaries was 245,454, or 29%, of the total 846,543 registered voters throughout the islands.

That includes 239,105, or 28.2%, ballots returned via mail and another 6,349, or 0.7%, in-person voters Saturday.

Kaua‘i County turnout was at 15,694, or 32%, of the total 49,060 registered voters within the county. That includes 14,920 ballots, or 30.4%, returned by mail and another 774, or 1.6%, in-person voters Saturday.

Get all of the 2026 Hawai‘i Primary Elections results right here at Kaua‘i Now. You can also see a complete list of statewide results on the state elections office website.

Editor’s Note: The results in this story, unless otherwise noted, are from the second summary report of results from the state elections office; Associated Press percentages also might not match the state’s. Totals are reported without blank and over votes removed.