When it comes to voting in Hawaii, money doesn’t always guarantee victory.
Tuesday’s general election results did not always align with the cash-rich committees that backed them, especially on ballot issues.
Voters decided on five state ballot and seven county charter amendments.
We’ve listed three of them below, along with the money that was disclosed on each side. Out of the three, only one side supported by the most money won its initiative, and even then, it passed by a slim margin.
According to Hawaii Pacific University professor and political expert John Hart, the phenomenon is unusual in a political process dominated by PAC money.
“There is my favorite joke that if you don’t think money can buy you happiness, then you’re not shopping at the right store,” he said. “There are some things apparently that even money can’t buy.”
Hart suggests pushback against mainland corporations and media saturation as possible factors for the anomaly.
State of Hawaii — Campaign Spending Commission Disclosure Reports
Maui County Question Related to Genetically Engineered Organisms
Final vote tally: YES 23,082 (51.19%), NO 22,005 (48.81%)
State Ballot Question Relating to Early Childhood Education
Final vote tally: NO+BLANK 209,049 (56.61%), YES 160,238 (45.46%)
State Ballot Question Relating to Agricultural Enterprises
Final vote tally: YES 185,531 (50.24%), NO+BLANK 183,765 (49.76%)