After the 2020 Census, Hawaii’s congressional map-drawing was overseen by the 2021 Hawaii Reapportionment Commission, a politically appointed nine-member panel that convenes once a decade to redraw district boundaries. Pandemic-related delays in census data forced the commission to seek more time; in July 2021, the Hawaii Supreme Court granted an extension, ordering draft maps by January 8, 2022, and final maps by February 27, 2022 (a significant shift from the usual mid-September deadline). This court-approved timeline gave the commission leeway to conduct public hearings and deliberations despite the late data. Working within the adjusted schedule, the commission voted on January 28, 2022, to adopt the final congressional map. The new two-district plan closely resembled the previous decade’s layout, with only a slight adjustment to the boundary on Oahu’s west coast after considering public input. Congressional district 1 primarily covers urban Honolulu on the island of Oahu, encompassing downtown Honolulu, Waikiki, Ala Moana, Kapahulu, Palolo, St. Louis Heights, Manoa, and parts of Kaimuki and Diamond Head, essentially the core city area.

The reapportionment commission also finalized new maps for the 51 state House districts and 25 Senate districts on January 28, 2022. Shortly after the maps’ adoption, a group of voters filed Hicks v. 2021 Hawaii Reapportionment Commission, alleging the legislative plan violated state constitutional guidelines – for example, the requirement that where practicable, House districts be wholly contained within Senate districts – and criticizing the commission’s use of technical committees as limiting transparency. On February 24, 2022, the Hawaii Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction halting the candidate nomination process under the new districts while it considered the challenge. However, the court ultimately dismissed the petition on March 16, 2022, lifting the injunction and allowing the maps to stand for the 2022 elections. thearp.org. In its decision, the state Supreme Court concluded that the commission had fulfilled its constitutional and statutory obligations in drawing the legislative plan, effectively giving final approval to the new districts. Read the commission's final report here.

updated: Jan 2026