2014 Hawaii gubernatorial election

For related races, see 2014 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 2014 Hawaii gubernatorial election took place on November 4, 2014, to elect the Governor of Hawaii, concurrently with a special election to Hawaii's Class III Senate Seat, as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.

2014 Hawaii gubernatorial election

← 2010 November 4, 2014 2018 →

Nominee David Ige Duke Aiona Mufi Hannemann Party Democratic Republican Independent Running mate Shan Tsutsui Elwin Ahu Les Chang Popular vote 181,106 135,775 42,934 Percentage 49.45% 37.08% 11.72%

County results Precinct results Ige:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      >90% Aiona:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      No votes

Governor before election Neil Abercrombie Democratic Elected Governor David Ige Democratic

Primary elections were held on August 9, 2014. In Hawaii, candidates for governor and lieutenant governor run in separate primaries and are then elected on the same ticket. Incumbent Democratic governor Neil Abercrombie ran for re-election to a second term in office, but was defeated by State Senator David Ige in the Democratic primary, making Abercrombie the first incumbent governor to lose renomination in Hawaii history. Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Shan Tsutsui was renominated.

The Republicans nominated former lieutenant governor Duke Aiona and pastor and former circuit court judge Elwin Ahu. Also running as an independent was former mayor of Honolulu Mufi Hannemann and former Honolulu parks and recreation director Les Chang. Ige and Tsutsui won the election. As of 2023, this election was the only time since 1994 that the winning gubernatorial nominee won the Hawaii gubernatorial election with only a plurality of the popular vote.

Democratic primary

Governor

Candidates

Declared

• Neil Abercrombie, incumbent governor^[1]
• David Ige, state senator^[2]
• Van K. Tanabe, candidate for governor in 2010^[3]

Declined

• Ed Case, former U.S. Representative and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2006 and 2012^[4]

Endorsements

Neil Abercrombie

Individuals

• Barack Obama, President of the United States^[5]

Organizations

• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1186^[6]
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1260^[6]
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1357^[6]

David Ige

Individuals

• George Ariyoshi, former Governor^[7]
• Ben Cayetano, former Governor^[7]

Debates

• Complete video of debate, July 4, 2014 - YouTube

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Neil Abercrombie	David Ige	Other	Undecided
Ward Research[8]	July 21–29, 2014	458	± 4.6%	36%	54%	—	11%
Civil Beat[9]	July 24–28, 2014	895	± 3.3%	41%	51%	—	8%
Public Policy Polling[10]	July 23–24, 2014	410	± ?	39%	49%	—	12%
Civil Beat[11]	June 7–9, 2014	729	± 3.6%	37%	48%	—	15%
SMS Research*[12]	March 24–April 25, 2014	1,402	± 2.6%	42%	28%	—	30%
Civil Beat[13]	February 12–15, 2014	643	± 3.9%	37%	37%	—	26%
Ward Research[14]	January 29–February 3, 2014	528	± 4.3%	47%	38%	—	14%

• * Internal poll for Neil Abercrombie campaign

Results

Results by county:

Map legend

•   Ige—70–80%
•   Ige—60–70%
•   Ige—50–60%

Democratic primary results^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	David Ige	157,050	66.01
	Democratic	Neil Abercrombie (incumbent)	73,507	30.09
	Democratic	Van Tanabe	2,622	1.01
	Democratic	Blank vote	4,614	1.94
	Democratic	Over vote	124	0.05
Total votes			237,917	100.00

Lieutenant governor

Brian Schatz won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor in 2010 with 37% of the vote and was elected alongside Abercrombie. After the death of U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye in December 2012, Abercrombie appointed Schatz to succeed him in the Senate. Schatz resigned as lieutenant governor and was succeeded by Shan Tsutsui, the president of the Hawaii Senate.^[16]

Candidates

Declared

• Clayton Hee, state senator, candidate for lieutenant governor in 2002 and candidate for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district in 2006^[17]
• Shan Tsutsui, incumbent lieutenant governor^[18]

Results

Results by county:

Map legend

•   Tsutsui—70–80%
•   Tsutsui—50–60%

Democratic primary results^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Shan Tsutsui (incumbent)	120,779	50.77
	Democratic	Clayton Hee	81,255	34.15
	Democratic	Mary Zanakis	18,174	7.64
	Democratic	Miles Shiratori	2,593	1.09
	Democratic	Sam Puletasi	2,126	0.89
	Democratic	Blank vote	12,850	5.04
	Democratic	Over vote	139	0.06
Total votes			237,916	100.00

Republican primary

Governor

Candidates

Declared

• Duke Aiona, former lieutenant governor and nominee for governor in 2010^[19]

Declined

• Charles Djou, former U.S. Representative (running for HI-01)^[20]
• Mufi Hannemann, Democratic former mayor of Honolulu, candidate for governor in 2010 and candidate for HI-02 in 2012 (running as an Independent)^[21]

Endorsements

Duke Aiona

• Manny Pacquiao^[22]

Results

Results by county:

Map legend

•   Aiona—>90%

Republican primary results^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Duke Aiona	41,832	94.77
	Republican	Stuart Todd Gregory	640	1.45
	Republican	Charles (Trump) Collins	580	1.31
	Republican	Blank vote	1,054	2.39
	Republican	Over vote	36	0.08
Total votes			44,142	100.00

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

Declared

• Elwin Ahu, pastor and former circuit court judge^[23]
• Warner "Kimo" Sutton, businessman^[24]

Declined

• David Chang, former chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party^[25]

Results

Republican primary results^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Elwin Ahu	27,678	62.07
	Republican	Warner "Kimo" Sutton	11,511	26.08
	Republican	Blank vote	4,921	11.15
	Republican	Over vote	32	0.07
Total votes			44,142	100.00

Libertarian nomination

Governor

Candidates

Declared

• Jeff Davis, solar contractor and radio show host^[26]

Results

Libertarian primary results^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Libertarian	Jeff Davis	587	82.56
	Libertarian	Blank vote	124	17.44
Total votes			711	100.00

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

Declared

• Cynthia (Lahi) Marlin

Results

Libertarian primary results^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Libertarian	Cynthia (Lahi) Marlin	555	78.06
	Libertarian	Blank vote	156	21.94
Total votes			711	100.00

Hawaii Independent primary

Governor

Candidates

Declared

• Mufi Hannemann, Democratic former mayor of Honolulu, candidate for governor in 2010 and candidate for Hawaii's 2nd congressional district in 2012^[27]

Results

Independent Party primary results^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	Mufi Hannemann	2,103	88.62
	Independent	Blank vote	269	11.34
	Independent	Over vote	1	0.04
Total votes			2,373	100.00

Lieutenant governor

Candidates

Declared

• Running mate: Les Chang, former Honolulu parks and recreation director^[24]

Results

Independent Party primary results^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	Les Chang	1,370	57.73
	Independent	Blank vote	1,002	42.23
	Independent	Over vote	1	0.04
Total votes			2,373	100.00

No Party primary

Hawaii has strict criteria for independent candidates seeking to participate in the general election.^[28] Three of the four candidates were disqualified for not having a running mate. The other candidate also had no running mate, but had already withdrawn from the race. They all still appeared on the ballot, alongside a notice about their status.^[29]

Candidates

Disqualified

• Misty Davis^[29]
• Khis Dejean Caldwell^[29]
• Richard Morse^[29]

Withdrew

• Joe Spatola^[29]

Results

Independent primary results^[15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	Misty Davis	201	18.03
	Independent	Richard Morse	98	8.79
	Independent	Khis Dejean Caldwell	85	7.62
	Independent	Joe Spatola	40	3.59
	Independent	Blank vote	687	61.61
	Independent	Over vote	4	0.36
Total votes			1,115	100.00

General election

Debates

• Complete video of debate, September 26, 2014 - YouTube
• Complete video of debate, October 9, 2014 - YouTube
• Complete video of debate, October 15, 2014 - C-SPAN

Predictions

Source	Ranking	As of
The Cook Political Report[30]	Lean D	November 3, 2014
Sabato's Crystal Ball[31]	Likely D	November 3, 2014
Rothenberg Political Report[32]	Lean D	November 3, 2014
Real Clear Politics[33]	Likely D	November 3, 2014

Polling

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	David Ige (D)	Duke Aiona (R)	Mufi Hannemann (I)	Other	Undecided
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[34]	October 16–23, 2014	1,002	± 6%	54%	22%	5%	0%	19%
Civil Beat[35]	October 16–19, 2014	1,221	± 2.8%	40%	34%	11%	6%[36]	8%
				27%	26%	—	—	47%
Tarrance Group/RGA[37]	October 2014	800	± 3.5%	39%	36%	12%	3%[36]	11%
Ward Research[38]	October 11–18, 2014	605	± 4%	47%	35%	12%	1%[36]	6%
Global Strategy Group[39]	October 3–8, 2014	600	± 4%	45%	33%	10%	2%	10%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[40]	September 20 – October 1, 2014	1,319	± 4%	41%	35%	6%	0%	18%
Civil Beat[41]	September 11–14, 2014	1,055	± 3%	43%	39%	8%	2%[36]	8%
				48%	45%	—	—	7%
Rasmussen Reports[42]	September 9–10, 2014	750	± 4%	40%	39%	14%	2%	6%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[43]	August 18 – September 2, 2014	655	± 6%	37%	35%	6%	2%	20%
Ward Research[8]	July 21–29, 2014	612	± 4%	34%	41%	15%	—	10%
Civil Beat[11]	June 7–9, 2014	1,078	± 3%	31%	31%	17%	—	21%
Ward Research[44]	January 29 – February 3, 2014	642	± 3.9%	34%	51%	—	—	15%

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Sample size	Margin of error	Neil Abercrombie (D)	Duke Aiona (R)	Mufi Hannemann (I)	Other	Undecided
Ward Research[8]	July 21–29, 2014	612	± 4%	30%	45%	14%	—	11%
CBS News/NYT/YouGov[45]	July 5–24, 2014	1,083	± 3%	37%	40%	—	14%	7%
Civil Beat[11]	June 7–9, 2014	1,078	± 3%	27%	33%	18%	—	22%
Ward Research[46]	January 29 – February 3, 2014	642	± 3.9%	40%	48%	—	—	12%

Hypothetical polling

Results

2014 Hawaii gubernatorial election^[47]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	David Ige	181,106	49.45%	−9.16%
	Republican	Duke Aiona	135,775	37.08%	−4.31%
	Independent	Mufi Hannemann	42,934	11.72%	N/A
	Libertarian	Jeff Davis	6,395	1.75%	N/A
Total votes			366,210	100.00%	N/A
	Democratic hold