Hawaii Elections Commission accepts PIG findings and votes to order independent audit of Kauai ballot envelopes

The Hawaii State Elections Commission on Wednesday received a synopsis of a permitted‑interaction‑group (PIG) investigation into ballot handling and reconciliation on Kauai and voted to hire an independent accounting firm to audit ballot envelopes and related receipts from the 2024 general election. The PIG reported gaps in county chain‑of‑custody records, unexplained post‑election increases in the statewide ballot count, and the inability of outside reviewers to verify electronic records.

Why it matters: Commissioners and dozens of public testifiers said the findings bear on public confidence in Hawaii’s mail‑ballot system and certification practices. The commission’s vote to audit Kauai’s paper envelope trail aims to produce a verifiable paper count that can be compared with the Statewide Voter Registration System (SVRS) totals.

The PIG synopsis, read to the commission by staff presenter Lindsay Kam, summarized key findings that the PIG said make the state’s electronic results “unverifiable,” that county clerks did not provide chain‑of‑custody documentation required by HAR 3‑177‑453, and that in at least two counties the number of mail ballots recorded in SVRS exceeded the number of envelopes the counties reported collecting. Kam told the commission she moved for an independent accounting firm to be hired to “inspect and count the ballot envelopes and compare the signatures on the envelopes to the signatures of record.” Commissioner Andrea seconded the motion.

A roll‑call vote followed. Commissioners recorded their votes on the motion as follows: Commissioner Adrian — yes; Commissioner Ralph Kushni — yes; Commissioner Kam — yes; Commissioner McAdam — no; Commissioner Ostercamp — no; Commissioner Papalimu — yes; Chair Curtis — yes. The motion received five affirmative votes and was announced on the record as passing.

Commissioner Ralph Cushni, who pressed for the audit during the meeting, argued audit work would resolve outstanding questions: “This will clarify everything. This will if an independent accounting firm does this, then this will just put this to rest,” he said.

Public testimony reflected the division in the room. Dozens of individuals urged the commission to pursue audits and further investigation. Nolan Chang, identifying himself as “the Hawaii Republican Party National Committeeman,” urged a federal probe and said he had written the Department of Justice requesting “a thorough investigation into the Hawaii Office of Elections and Hawaii Election Commission due to numerous allegations and evidence of election irregularities.” Several former election observers and county advocates described missing or amended collection logs and thumb‑drive and tabulator concerns.

Other speakers cautioned against assuming fraud where county records can be explained. Janet Mason of the League of Women Voters of Hawaii reminded the commission that “complaints like this are resolved by the Hawaii State Supreme Court” and noted the court has previously dismissed at least one complaint arising from the same events; she urged careful consideration of remedies and noted the PIG and the Office of Elections have offered different explanations for numeric differences.

Motion to subpoena after‑hours entry logs: Commissioners debated a separate motion to subpoena after‑hours entry and exit logs for the secure storage area that houses ballots (April 2024 to present). Commissioner Cushni moved the subpoena motion and Commissioner Andrea seconded. The roll call recorded votes of yes from Commissioners Adrian, Cushni, Kam and Papalimu and no votes from Commissioners McAdam, Ostercamp and Chair Curtis (4‑3). Chair Curtis and the commission’s legal advisor debated whether the motion met the statutory threshold for passage, citing HRS 11‑7 and differing interpretations of what constitutes the commission’s ‘‘membership’’ for a majority vote. The meeting record shows the vote count but also shows disagreement over whether a majority of the commission’s full membership (five votes) was required. The chair then moved on to the next agenda item; the transcript records the 4‑3 roll call but does not record a final, uncontested acceptance of the subpoena motion.

PIG recommendations and next steps: The PIG’s written recommendations urged (1) an external independent manual audit of ballot envelopes and USPS receipts to reconcile the 2024 counts, (2) a statewide return to in‑person voting on paper ballots for election day, and (3) removal of the chief elections officer, citing statutory compliance concerns. The commission received the PIG report and approved the independent accounting‑firm audit motion; other recommendations will be the subject of further discussion. Commissioners set a follow‑up meeting to continue deliberations and to consider additional procedural and investigative steps.

What the audit will look at: The motion asks for a manual inspection and count of ballot envelopes, corroborating USPS business‑reply mail receipts, and signature comparisons where possible, to reconcile the number of envelopes physically collected with the SVRS totals. The PIG argued envelope‑level work is necessary because electronic SVRS summaries alone do not create a verifiable paper trail.

The meeting record includes extensive public testimony on both sides of the issue, including claims of large unexplained ballot increases (testifiers referenced figures such as “19,000” additional ballots on Hawaii Island and a disputed 661‑ballot discrepancy on Kauai). The PIG and the Office of Elections have given different accounts of how those figures were derived; the independent audit motion is intended to provide an externally verifiable reconciliation.