Maui County Charter Amendment Question 5 — Removing the English Translation of the Hawai‘i State Motto

What it does

Shall the Charter be amended, effective upon passage, by removing the English translation of the Hawai‘i State motto in the Maui County Charter Preamble, allowing the original phrase, “Ua mau ke ea o ka ‘āina i ka pono,” to stand on its own?

A YES vote means

The English translation of the Hawai‘i State motto would be removed from the Maui County Charter preamble, leaving only “Ua mau ke ea o ka ‘āina i ka pono.”

A NO vote means

The preamble would keep the English translation of the state motto.

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

Next elections here

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

Also on Maui County ballots

• Maui County Charter Amendment Question 1 — Planning Commission Review of General Plan and Land Use Ordinances
• Maui County Charter Amendment Question 2 — Standardizing deadlines for voter initiative, recall, and charter amendment
• Maui County Charter Amendment Question 3 — Computation of Time
• Maui County Charter Amendment Question 4 — Processing of Claims
• Maui County Charter Amendment Question 6 — Emergency Appropriations
• Maui County Charter Amendment Question 7 — Independent Nomination Board
• Maui County Charter Amendment Question 8 — Reappointment of Members of the Board of Ethics

All Maui County races and measures →

Quick answers

What does a YES vote on Maui County Charter Amendment Question 5 mean?

The English translation of the Hawai‘i State motto would be removed from the Maui County Charter preamble, leaving only “Ua mau ke ea o ka ‘āina i ka pono.”

What does a NO vote on Maui County Charter Amendment Question 5 mean?

The preamble would keep the English translation of the state motto.

How many votes does Maui County Charter Amendment Question 5 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 Maui County Charter Amendment Question 5?

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.