Question 1: More time for the Senate to act on judgesMore time for the state Senate to confirm judges
Read the full text of the measure: Office of Elections 2026 General Election Voter Guide (PDF)
In plain words
In Hawaii, judges are picked, not elected. The governor (or, for some courts, the chief justice) picks from a list, and the state Senate has 30 days to say no. If it does nothing, the judge is approved. Most of the year the Senate is not in session, so it often has to call a special session to meet that deadline. This amendment gives the Senate 60 days for picks made from April 1 to December 31. (elections.hawaii.gov )
Before and after
| Question | Today | If it passes |
|---|---|---|
| Time the Senate has to act on a judge picked Jan. 1 to March 31 | 30 days | 30 days (same) |
| Time the Senate has to act on a judge picked April 1 to Dec. 31 | 30 days | 60 days |
| If the Senate does nothing in time | The judge is approved | The judge is approved (same) |
Numbers from the official ballot title (ballot title ); also see (data.capitol.hawaii.gov )
Biggest change
- For judges picked between April 1 and December 31, the Senate gets 60 days instead of 30 to reject the pick. If it does not reject the pick in time, the pick is approved. source: data.capitol.hawaii.gov
Who it affects most: State senators, people picked to be judges, and courts waiting for an open judge seat to be filled.
Cost to the state: No official cost estimate. The Senate Judiciary Committee said "each special session costs approximately $5,000 for airfare and per diem for neighbor island senators," plus senators' and staff time. Fewer special sessions could save some of that.
Our plain-words summary. Every line points to its source.
What your vote means
The Senate gets 60 days instead of 30 to act on judges picked between April 1 and December 31.
The Senate keeps 30 days to act on every judge pick, all year.
Our one-line summary. Hawaii does not publish an official "what your vote means" statement; the ballot title above is the official description.
Why people want it, and why others object
Why this is on the ballot
The Legislature put this on the ballot. It changes the state constitution, so only another statewide vote can change it back. It passes with more yes votes than no votes, and yes votes equal to at least half of all ballots cast (a blank vote on it works like a no).
- The Legislature passed SB 121 in 2025 to put this question on the 2026 ballot. The regular session ends in spring, so judges picked later in the year often need a special session to meet the 30-day deadline. source: alohastatedaily.com
- Hawaii's judges are not elected. They are appointed from a list of nominees sent by the Judicial Selection Commission and confirmed by the Senate. source: data.capitol.hawaii.gov
Why supporters want it
- The Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Sen. Karl Rhoads, wrote that "this measure will provide flexibility in the scheduling of special sessions." source: data.capitol.hawaii.gov
Why opponents object
- Rodney A. Maile, Administrative Director of the Courts, wrote in testimony that the change "could leave judicial vacancies unfilled for an extended period of time, depending on when a vacancy occurs." source: alohastatedaily.com
Who backs each side
- For: the state Legislature, which placed it on the ballot; Sen. Karl Rhoads led it. Concerns: the Judiciary (Administrative Director of the Courts). No campaign committee or money for either side found in public reporting. source: alohastatedaily.com
In each side's own words where we could find them, quoted or summarized with a link to the source. We don't endorse either side.
What you will see on your ballot
Official ballot wording, word for word (tap to open)
The official ballot title, word for word from the Office of Elections' official voter guide .
Shall the Constitution of the State of Hawaii be amended to allow the Senate more time to consider and act on the appointments of justices and judges, by increasing the timeframe from thirty days to sixty days for appointments made between April 1 and December 31 when the senate is not in regular session or is about to adjourn the regular session?
YES
NO
Wording copied word for word from the Hawaii Office of Elections 2026 Voter Guide (statements provided by the Attorney General), page 73, and checked against the PDF on Oct. 16, 2026. Your ballot is the final word.
Latest news
Recent reporting from a range of outlets, newest first. We link to it; we don't endorse it.
No articles collected yet for this measure.
Full text of the measure
The change is to Article VI, Section 3 of the Hawaii Constitution (judges' appointments). Read it in the Office of Elections 2026 General Election Voter Guide (PDF) , or on the Legislature's page for Senate Bill 121 (2025) , which also shows the votes in each chamber.
Read more
- Office of Elections: 2026 proposed amendments to the Hawaii State Constitution
- Office of Elections: 2026 proposed constitutional amendments
- Aloha State Daily (opinion column): the judicial appointments amendment
- Ballotpedia News
We link to analysis from several sources; we don't endorse it.