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HRS §11-154

Keeping and destroying ballots after an election

After votes are counted, ballots are sealed and kept safe. They can only be opened again under election rules. Once all winners are certified, the election officer or clerk may destroy the ballots and related records, following federal retention rules.

courts

The statute, as written — Records, etc.; disposition

The voted ballots shall be kept secure and handled only in the presence of representatives not of the same political party or official observers in accordance with rules adopted for the various voting systems. After all the ballots have been tabulated they shall be sealed in containers. Thereafter, these containers shall be unsealed and resealed only as prescribed by rules governing elections. The ballots and other election records may be destroyed by the chief election officer or clerk when all elected candidates have been certified by the chief election officer, or in the case of candidates for county offices, by the clerk and after compliance with retention schedules of applicable federal law.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.