Redistricting Process: Article IV of the Hawaii Constitution establishes a commission with responsibility for drawing congressional as well as state legislative districts. The commission starts with eight members, as the majority and minority leaders of each house of the state legislature each select two members. These eight commissioners then select a ninth member to serve as chairman. None of the members of the commission can hold public office. Moreover, they are restricted from running for public office for the next two elections following reapportionment.
After its creation, the Reapportionment Commission has 150 days to submit a plan for redistricting of legislative and congressional districts to the Chief Election Official. The plan is published and available for public comment and feedback—including one public hearing for each island unit—after which it takes legal force. While Hawaii has detailed rules for representation of each island in the state legislature, these requirements do not apply to congressional districts, in part because the state only has two congressional representatives. For the past several cycles, metropolitan Honolulu has elected one representative to Congress, and the rest of the state the other representative.
Governor: Democrat Neil Abercrombie
Legislature: Democrats control both chambers.
Number of Congressional Seats in 2011: 2 (no change from 2010)
2011 Ideal District Population: 680,151
Link to Hawaii Office of Elections: Redistricting and Reapportionment
Current District by District Politics and Demographics
1st District– Democrat Colleen Hanabusa
2010 Congressional Results: Hanabusa 53%
2008 Congressional Results: Neil Abercrombie (D) 77%
2006 Congressional Results: Abercrombie 69%
2004 Congressional Results: Abercrombie 63%
2008 Presidential Results: McCain 28% Obama 70%
2004 Presidential Results: Bush 47% Kerry 52%
District Population: 658,672
Over/Under Populated by: 21,479
White Population: 109,053
African American Population: 11,577
Hispanic Population: 44,683
See more demographic information from the 2010 Census for the 1st District.
2nd District– Democrat Mazie Hirono
2010 Congressional Results: Hirono 72%
2008 Congressional Results: Hirono 76%
2006 Congressional Results: Hirono 61%
2004 Congressional Results: Ed Case (D) 63%
2008 Presidential Results: McCain 25% Obama 73%
2004 Presidential Results: Bush 44% Kerry 56%
District Population: 701,629
Over/Under Populated by: 21,479
White Population: 200,290
African American Population: 8,327
Hispanic Population: 625,470
See more demographic information from the 2010 Census for the 2nd District.
*In some browsers, the link to the 2010 Census page may link to a table
of demographics for several states as opposed to the districts for the
specific state. If this occurs, click the “Back to Search” link at the
top of the page and then click on the arrow next to “Geographies” in
the left column. Select “All Congressional Districts within Hawaii”
and then close the box. Click on the link for “Race, Hispanic or
Latino, Age and Housing Occupancy: 2010” and the correct table should
appear.
Redistricting Process taken from Rose Institute study “Redistricting in America.”