General Campaign Finance Law in Hawaii
The Hawaii Revised Statues (HRS) (Section 11-191) defines an election period as “the two-year period between general election days if a candidate is seeking nomination or election to a two-year office and the four-year period between general election days if a candidate is seeking nomination or election to a four-year office.”

Donation limits to candidates for the State House are:
   - $2,000 for individuals, the state party, and the national party per election period.
   - $50,000 (including loans) for immediate family per election period.

Donation limits to candidates for the State Senate are:
   - $4,000 for individuals, the state party, and the national party per election period.
   - $50,000 (including loans) for immediate family per election period.

No person or entity can make contributions to a non-candidate committee in aggregate greater than $1,000 per election period.

No person or entity can make contributions to a state political party in aggregate greater than $25,000 per election period.

No national political party or national political party committee can make contributions to a state party in aggregate greater than $50,000 per election period.

In the case of a corporation using funds from its own treasury, there is no limit on contributions to the corporation’s non-candidate committee.

Candidates for the State House or Senate cannot have more than two fundraisers per election period. According to the HRS (Section 11-203), a fundraiser is “any function held for the benefit of a person that is intended or designed, directly or indirectly, to raise funds for political purposes for which the price or suggested contribution for attending the function is more than $25 per person.”

Anonymous contributions are prohibited.

Candidates complying with the total expenditure limits receive the following benefits:
   - Discounted filing fee.
   - Contributors can count their contribution as a tax deduction.
   - Eligibility for public grants through the Hawaii Campaign Election Fund.

All information above adapted from: State of Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission Website (http://www.hawaii.gov/campaign/) and the Hawaii Revised Statutes (2003).

Public Financing — Hawaii Election Campaign Fund
The 1978 Hawaii Constitutional Convention established the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund (HECF) in Article II, Section 5 of the state Constitution. The new Constitution required the Legislature to “establish a campaign fund to be used for partial public financing of campaigns of the State and its political subdivisions.” In 1979, the Legislature created a trust fund for the HECF through the Hawaii Revised Statutes (HRS) (Section 11-217). A voluntary state income tax check off of two dollars funds the HECF. Fines and penalties collected by the Campaign Spending Commission also flow into the HECF. Separate HECF grants are available for the primary and general election (candidates may receive grants for either election or both).

Prior to the 1996 election, candidates for the State House and Senate could receive only a minimum amount of money (less than $250) through HECF per election period. In order to encourage greater participation in the HECF, a 1995 revision to Section 11 of the HRS established a new funding formula for State House and Senate candidates—the specifics of this formula are below.

Candidates seeking public funds must meet the following requirements:
   - A candidate must adhere to the total expenditure limit for the election period.
   - A candidate must have a qualified opponent on the ballot in the election for which the candidate      seeks public funds.
   - A candidate for the State Senate needs a minimum of $2,500 in qualifying campaign contributions      per election period before applying.
   - A candidate for the State House needs a minimum of $1,500 in qualifying campaign contributions per      election period before applying.

Candidates seeking public funds must obey the following restrictions:
   - The use of public funds is limited to specific “conventional” campaign goods and services. The      proper use of public funds must be documented. Any unused public funds must be returned to the      HECF.
   - State Senate and State House candidates accepting public funds are subject to a total expenditure      limit per election period equal to $1.40 times the number of registered voters in the district at the time      of the preceding general election.
   - The maximum total amount of a public grant for State House and Senate candidates per election      period is 15 percent of the total expenditure limit.

All information above adapted from: State of Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission Website (http://www.hawaii.gov/campaign/), the Public Funding Guidebook for Candidate Committees (http://www.hawaii.gov/campaign/Forms/Publications/CCPublications/PFGuidebook/pfguidebook.htm), the Hawaii State Constitution (as amended and in force January 1, 2000), and the Hawaii Revised Statutes (2003).

Reapportionment/Redistricting Information

State House of Representatives 2002
Max Public Grant 2002
Total Expenditure LimitSource: State of Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission Website (http://www.hawaii.gov/campaign/). State Senate 2002 Max Public Grant 2002 Total Expenditure Limit