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HRS §11-364

Returning extra campaign contributions and what happens if you don't

Candidates and committees must give back any campaign contributions that go over the legal limit. They have 30 days to return the extra money, or it goes to the Hawaii election campaign fund. If they return it before being fined, they won't have to pay a fine.

The statute, as written — Excess contribution; return; escheat

(a) Any candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee that receives in the aggregate more than the applicable contribution limit in section 11-357, 11-358, 11-359, or 11-360 shall return any excess contribution to the contributor within thirty days of receipt of the excess contribution. Any candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee that receives in the aggregate more than the applicable contribution limit in section 11-362 shall return any excess contribution to the contributor within thirty days of the end of the election period; provided that the candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee may choose which contributions to return. Any excess contribution not returned to the contributor within thirty days shall escheat to the Hawaii election campaign fund. (b) A candidate, candidate committee, or noncandidate committee that complies with this section prior to the initiation of administrative action shall not be subject to any fine under section 11-410.
Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

Sections this one refers to

§11-357 Campaign contribution limits

§11-362 Limit on out-of-state campaign donations

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