Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 18 — Civil Service Exemption for the Human Resources First Deputy

What it does

Should the First Deputy of the Department of Human Resources be exempt from civil service provisions, like similar roles in other City departments?

A YES vote means

The First Deputy of the Department of Human Resources would be exempt from civil service rules, like similar roles in other city departments.

A NO vote means

The Human Resources First Deputy would not be made exempt from civil service rules.

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Hawaii adds a second test for constitutional amendments: YES must also equal at least half of all ballots cast in the election, so leaving it blank works against it.

Left–right lean

Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

The 2025-2026 Honolulu Charter Commission, which the Charter requires the mayor and City Council to appoint every ten years, reviewed 295 proposals and approved 20 questions for this ballot, including this one, according to its voter booklet.

The booklet says the First Deputy of the Department of Human Resources is now a civil service employee who represents the City in union negotiations, while the same position is exempt in all other Hawaii counties.

If approved, the position would become an appointed position exempt from civil service effective January 1, 2027.

Put on the ballot by Honolulu Charter Commission (2025-2026), proposal approved at public meetings (date and vote not stated).

From official source.

Next elections here

• 2028 presidential election · Who has filed so far, from FEC filings

Also on Honolulu County ballots

• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 1 — Food Security Fund
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 2 — New Charter Preamble
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 3 — Office of ‘Ōiwi Resources and Cultural Stewardship
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 4 — LGBTQIA+ Commission
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 5 — Ranked-Choice Voting for City Elections Beginning in 2032
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 6 — Police Department Policies on Immigration Enforcement
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 7 — Housing Availability and Preservation Policy
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 8 — Affordable Housing Fund as a Revolving Fund
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 9 — Second Public Hearing for City Real Property Transactions
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 10 — Affordable Housing Functional Plan
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 11 — Grants to Nonprofits from the Clean Water and Natural Lands and Climate Resiliency Funds
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 12 — Outside Funding Sources for Charter Special Funds
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 13 — Historic Preservation Use and Renaming of the Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 14 — Land Management Appropriation from the Clean Water and Natural Lands Fund
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 15 — Office of Data and Innovation
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 16 — Permanent Resident Aliens on City Boards and Commissions

All Honolulu County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 18 mean?

The First Deputy of the Department of Human Resources would be exempt from civil service rules, like similar roles in other city departments.

What does a NO vote on Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 18 mean?

The Human Resources First Deputy would not be made exempt from civil service rules.

How many votes does Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 18 need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Hawaii adds a second test for constitutional amendments: YES must also equal at least half of all ballots cast in the election, so leaving it blank works against it.

Should I vote yes or no on Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 18?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.