Business is still active at the State Capitol, where workers are still waiting to open and count the last of the general election ballots.
Hawaiʻi Chief Election Officer Scott Nago explained why — with the initial counting of ballots complete, there are still unopened ballots that need to be audited and cured before they can be added to the count.
Uncured ballots, he explained, are "ballots that voters correct for missing signatures or mismatched signatures." Voters have until Nov. 10th to fix, or "cure," their ballots so they can be properly cast.
An increase in late ballot drop offs and voting on Election Day caused delays in the process of receiving and verifying ballots, Nago explained.
He recommends voters prepare in advance and "take all the time necessary ... with voting by mail … but don't wait till the last minute" to ensure processing and tabulation go smoothly.
Election returns are expected to be certified on Nov. 10th. Any challenges have to be filed with the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court by Nov. 23rd.
This story aired on The Conversation on Nov. 5, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. Jinwook Lee adapted this story for the web.
