Candidates in Focus 2026

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Candidates in Focus

2026 Election Dates & Deadline

Candidates in Focus Beginning July 18th, Candidates in Focus will begin airing. If you have election-related programs you'd like to share with the broader community, visit us at olelo.org to get started.

Voter information

2026 Election Dates

Primary
August 8, 2026
Voters receive their ballots for the 2026 Primary Election by July 21, 2026.
General
November 3, 2026
Voters receive their ballots for the 2026 General Election by October 16, 2026.

'Ōlelo Community Media was created to promote the creation, production and cablecasting of programs by, for, and about Hawaiʻi and to facilitate the community's participation in the democratic process. Candidates in Focus is one of the ways community media helps strengthen local civic participation by giving voters direct access to those seeking public office.

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Candidates in Focus is not simply election programming. It is a free service that gives candidates a platform to share their views directly with voters so they can make informed decisions at the ballot box. The purpose is not to mediate, endorse, balance, or polish political speech. It is to make room for it, lower barriers, widen participation, and give voters access to the broadest possible range of voices before they enter the voting booth.

Participating candidates record a program about their platform, which 'Ōlelo then airs throughout the Primary and General Election seasons across its channels, media partners, and social media. We encourage all candidates to take advantage of this service. Check your email or contact us at vote@olelo.org for more information.

Beginning July 18th, Candidates in Focus will begin airing. Check back for specific air dates. If you have election-related programs you'd like to share with the broader community, visit olelo.org or email vote@olelo.org to get started.

Watch Candidates in Focus

Broadcast Schedule

Candidates in Focus will air on Spectrum and Hawaiian Telcom ʻŌlelo49 and can also be viewed online through ʻŌleloNet and the ʻŌlelo YouTube Channel .

Primary Election

July 18–August 8, 2026

Daily airings on Channel 49:
7:00 AM
2:00 PM
7:00 PM

Primary Marathon:
Begins at midnight on August 7.

General Election

October 13–November 3, 2026

Daily airings on Channel 49:
7:00 AM
2:00 PM
7:00 PM

General Marathon:
Begins at midnight on November 2.

Voter Service Centers

Voter Service Centers are open 10 business days preceding an election and provide accessible voting services, in-person voting, and same-day voter registration. These centers are established and operated by the County Elections Divisions.

County of Hawaii

Jon Henricks
County Clerk
25 Aupuni Street
Room 1502
Hilo, Hawaii 96720
Phone: (808) 961-8277
Fax: (808) 961-8673
Email: hiloelec@hawaiicounty.gov
Website: https://www.elections.hawaiicounty.gov

County of Maui

Moana Lutey
County Clerk
200 South High Street

Wailuku, Hawaii 96793
Phone: (808) 270-7749
Fax: (808) 270-7171
Email: county.clerk@mauicounty.us
Website: https://mauicountyvotes.gov/

County of Kauai

Jade Fountain-Tanigawa
County Clerk
4386 Rice Street
Room 101
Lihue, Hawaii 96766
Phone: (808) 241-4800
Fax: (808) 241-6207
Email: elections@kauai.gov
Website: https://www.kauai.gov/elections

City & County of Honolulu

Glen Takahashi
City Clerk
530 South King Street
Room 100
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: (808) 768-3800
Fax: (808) 768-3835
Email: elections@honolulu.gov
Website: https://www.honolulu.gov/elections