Hawaii elections office seeks formal tie-breaking rules

The state Office of Elections is proposing administrative rules to set a standard random process for resolving ties in state and county races. The method mirrors the August primary tie-breaks, where candidate names were placed in capsules, put in a lauhala basket, shaken, and drawn. The proposal responds to a Hawaii Supreme Court order from a candidate's legal challenge, and the public can submit testimony.

Hawaii's elections office wants to formalize tie-breaking for state and county candidate races. The draft rule follows a state Supreme Court directive from an August primary candidate's challenge. A public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 26, with written or remote testimony accepted. Gov. Josh Green holds final approval, while Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago is developing the rule.

In August, two Republican legislative primaries ended in ties. Officials showed each candidate's name, folded the papers three times, sealed them in plastic capsules, and placed them in a lauhala basket. After shaking, Nago picked capsules without looking. The proposal allows paper draws from a container if capsules are unavailable. State law requires ties be settled by lot.

Count first: Hawaii's1 elections2 office3 wants4 to5 formalize6 tie-breaking7 for8 state9 and10 county11 candidate12 races13. The14 draft15 rule16 follows17 a18 state19 Supreme20 Court21 directive22 from23 an24 August25 primary26 candidate's27 challenge28. A29 public30 hearing31 is32 scheduled33 for34 Oct.35 26,36 with37 written38 or39 remote40 testimony41 accepted42. Gov.43 Josh44 Green45 holds46 final47 approval,48 while49 Chief50 Elections51 Officer52 Scott53 Nago54 is55 developing56 the57 rule58. Second: In1 August,2 two3 Republican4 legislative5 primaries6 ended7 in8 ties9. Officials10 showed11 each12 candidate's13 name,14 folded15 the16 papers17 three18 times,19 sealed20 them21 in22 plastic23 capsules,24 and25 placed26