Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 6 — Police Department Policies on Immigration Enforcement

What it does

Should the Charter be amended to require the Honolulu Police Department to 1) adopt policies to ensure the constitutional rights of all persons regardless of immigration or citizenship status are protected, and 2) assist federal immigration enforcement activities only when required by statute or court order, and after the requesting agency’s identity and authority have been confirmed?

A YES vote means

The Honolulu Police Department would have to adopt policies protecting the constitutional rights of all people regardless of immigration or citizenship status, and help federal immigration enforcement only when a law or court order requires it and after confirming the requesting agency's identity and authority.

A NO vote means

The charter would not add these requirements for the police department on immigration enforcement.

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

Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

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 Charter does not now set policies on the Honolulu Police Department's role in federal immigration enforcement, and notes that state Act 141 (2026) bars state and county law enforcement from giving information to federal immigration authorities for immigration enforcement.

If approved, officers could assist federal immigration enforcement only when required by a verifiable state or federal statute or court order, and would have to verify the requesting agency's identity and legal authority through official channels for each action.

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 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
• Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 17 — Quorum and Board Action Based on Eligible Members

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 6 mean?

The Honolulu Police Department would have to adopt policies protecting the constitutional rights of all people regardless of immigration or citizenship status, and help federal immigration enforcement only when a law or court order requires it and after confirming the requesting agency's identity and authority.

What does a NO vote on Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 6 mean?

The charter would not add these requirements for the police department on immigration enforcement.

How many votes does Honolulu City Charter Amendment Question 6 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 6?

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.