The Hawaii Elections Commission voted Wednesday to ask State Auditor Michael Kondo to audit the 2024 general election, asking him to start with Hawaii (Big) Island and use that review to shape any wider statewide audit. The commission also formed a permitted‑interaction group to work with county clerks on chain‑of‑custody documentation and daily reporting.

The votes followed more than three hours of public testimony, with dozens of residents, election observers and officials debating whether universal mail‑in voting should be rolled back and whether counties kept sufficient records to reconcile envelopes collected with ballots counted. Representative Garner Shimizu, reading the permitted‑interaction group report, told the commission that investigators found “no logs or reports complying with HAR 3‑1‑77‑453” and that county explanations did not resolve a small but material increase in counted ballots on Kauai.

Commissioner Lindsay, who moved that the commission transmit the PIG findings to the state auditor, said the request was intended to produce an independent, verifiable review of how ballots were handled. After an amendment from Commissioner Ralph to start with the Big Island, the commission approved the amended motion in a roll‑call vote: Adrian, Apana, Krishni, Kam, Papalimu and Sebas voted yes; Ostercamp and Chair Curtis voted no.

Public testimony illustrated the split. Judith Mills Wong of the League of Women Voters said returning to in‑person voting would disenfranchise people with mobility limits and low‑income residents: “The ability to just sit at home with the ballot and study the constitutional amendments ... is a far superior way to have informed voting,” she said. By contrast, several longtime election observers and other speakers urged a return to one‑day precinct voting, arguing mail‑in procedures had left gaps in chain‑of‑custody and reconciliation.

Commissioners also approved a separate request for records from the U.S. Postal Service inspector general and a formal request for BallotTrax/Harte Intercivic logs to help reconcile scans and envelope counts. The commission voted to form a PIG to work directly with county clerks on daily reporting and chain‑of‑custody procedures; the PIG was charged with using a prior staff letter recommending verifiable chain‑of‑custody measures as guidance.

The commission did not adopt every proposed step. A motion to send the three PIG reports to the U.S. Department of Justice failed, and a separate motion to remove the chief elections officer was introduced but deferred to a future agenda item. Chair Eric Curtis said the commission will invite the state auditor to discuss options and timing at a future meeting; the auditor has discretion whether to accept the request.

What happens next: The commission’s formal request asks the state auditor to begin the work with Hawaii Island; commissioners also planned to send a letter to the U.S. Postal Service inspector general and to ask the chief elections officer for BallotTrax records. The chain‑of‑custody PIG is expected to meet county clerks and return recommendations to the full commission.