Friday Aug 14, 2026 is deadline to ‘cure’ your mail-in ballot
by Andrew Walden
According to law, Friday Aug 14, 2026 is your deadline to ‘cure’ your mail-in ballot.
1,911 mail-in ballots are marked 'invalid' on the August 8 voting report:
- 1,010 Honolulu
- 407 Maui County
- 325 Hawaiʻi County
- 169 Kauaʻi County
If you have been notified that your mail-in ballot was rejected by your County Election Office, due to a missing or invalid signature or other deficiency, you must act immediately to ‘cure’ your ballot or it will not be counted. Follow the instructions on the notice. This is particularly important on Oahu where 1,010 invalid votes are outstanding and some races may go to a mandatory recount:
- SD20 McDermott leads Fevella by 7 votes.
- HD43 Souza leads Medeiros by 1 vote.
Under Hawaii Revised Statutes § 11‑158, a mandatory recount is required when the official tabulation shows that the difference between the apparent winner and the closest apparently defeated candidate (or between affirmative and negative votes for a ballot question) is equal to or less than 100 votes or 0.25% of the total votes cast for the contest, whichever is greater.
At the close of business, Friday, August 14, 2026, Hawaii Office of Elections will announce the final election results—including all ‘cured’ ballots.
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HRS §11-106 Deficient return identification envelopes.
If:
- A return identification envelope is returned with an unsigned affirmation;
- The affirmation signature does not match a reference signature image; or
- A return identification envelope contains another condition that would not allow the counting of the ballot,
the clerk shall make an attempt to notify the voter by first class mail, telephone, or electronic mail to inform the voter of the procedure to correct the deficiency.
The voter shall have five business days after the date of the election to cure the deficiency.
The chief election officer may adopt rules regarding requirements and procedures for correcting deficient return identification envelopes. The counting of ballots and disclosure of subsequent election results may continue during the time period permitted to cure a deficiency under this section. The clerk's inability to contact voters under this section shall not be grounds for a contest for cause under section 11-172. This section shall apply to all return identification envelopes, including ballots utilizing the provisions of section 11-107 or chapter 15 or 15D. [L 2019, c 136, pt of §2; am L 2021, c 213, §21]
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