It’s time to end the stranglehold that luxury developers, out-of-state investors, Big Tourism, military contractors, and other big money interests have on our politics. The Our Hawaiʻi Pledge is a candidates' way to say they reject big money from those who sell out our islands, and stand with those who live to protect it.
No Corporate PACs. No Corporate Lobbyists. No Big Money Special Interests.
Local People First.
The Our Hawaiʻi Pledge
I pledge to use my office to be an independent voice and advocate for kamaʻāina and stand against the pay-to-play special interest corruption that has holds back progress for the people of Hawaiʻi.
I will demonstrate my commitment to the people of Hawaiʻi above all else through these two actions:
Local People Over Big Money: Turn down political bribes in any form and reject all campaign contributions more than $100 from corporate PACs and corporate lobbyists, and the executive officers of luxury and out-of-state developers, major landowners, hotel conglomerates, energy monopolies, and military contractors.
Solutions for Our Hawai‘i: Boldly champion the following to Hawaiʻi’s people first:
House Our People: build enough public housing for rent and ownership to meet local demand; establish rent control and a tenants’ bill of rights; tax empty homes and non-resident owners; phaseout vacation rentals in non-resort zones; and fulfill our obligation to Kānaka ‘Oiwi by funding DHHL and ending the Hawaiian Homelands waitlist.
Cut Energy Costs: lower energy and fuel prices for working people by accelerating our transition to 100% clean energy by 2035 and expand electric public transit and vehicle access to end our dependence on expensive foreign oil; empower the community to input, own, and guide development to speed up affordable clean energy development.
Mālama ‘Āina: preserve agriculture and conservation land for those purposes; protect environmental and cultural impact requirements; tax tourists to pay for their impact on our environment, infrastructure, public resources, and culture and dedicate those funds towards restoration and preservation; utilize Kānaka Maoli knowledge in stewardship of our environment and return land and waters to Kānaka Maoli community stewardship; protect our water resources under the public trust doctrine; and commit to serious evaluation of expiring military leases to determine whether they should be renewed.
Economy For All: invest in our keiki and our economy with fully funded public education and competitive pay for teachers; workforce and small business development to diversify our economy; make the minimum wage a living wage by tying it to our rising cost of living; universal childcare, kupuna care, and family leave; advance Kānaka Maoli values of gender and LGBTQ+ equity through workplace protections and equal pay; reduce sex trafficking by targeting exploiters and reclaiming our land and bodies; expand social and economic programs to provide equal opportunities for new immigrants.
Government for the People, Not Big Money: the full public financing of our elections; ban on corporate contributions; regulation of corporate donor bundling; ban fundraisers during session; automatic voter registration; ranked choice voting; and the full disclosure of gifts, expenditures, visitors logs, clients, and bills lobbyists are working on.
The Our Hawai’i Pledge is based off of the policy agenda Solutions for Our Hawai’i which is backed by 19 leading community and statewide organizations and small businesses across the islands.
The Our Hawai'i Pledge requires signers to turn down campaign contributions over $100 from corporate PACs, corporate lobbyists, and executives of luxury and out-of-state developers, major landowners, hotel conglomerates, energy monopolies, and military contractors. This FAQ clarifies the definitions and scope of these restrictions so candidates can comply.
These definitions reflect the intent of the Pledge: to demonstrate genuine independence from special interest money and the industries that have held back the people of Hawai'i through corporate capture and militarization.
A Corporate PAC (Political Action Committee) is a committee formed by a corporation, trade association, or membership organization to collect and spend money in elections. Corporate PACs pool voluntary contributions from a company's employees, shareholders, or members to make political donations.You can look up who donates to a PAC at CSC database for Non-Candidate Committees
PACs sponsored by for-profit corporations (e.g., a hotel chain's PAC, a real estate developer's PAC, an energy company's PAC) (e.g. Alexander & Baldwin, HECO )
PACs sponsored by trade associations and industry groups (e.g., a Hotel Industry PAC, a contractors' association PAC, a utility industry PAC) (e.g. Maui Hotel & Lodging, Hawaii Realtors Association)
PACs sponsored by chambers of commerce or business roundtables that primarily represent corporate interests (e.g. Chamber of Commerce Hawaii)
Super PACs that are primarily funded by or affiliated with corporations or their executives (e.g. Be Change Now, For a Better Tomorrow)
The Pledge applies to all corporate PAC contributions over $100.
A corporate PAC from any industry, including pharmaceuticals, finance, telecommunications, or otherwise.
Donations from small grassroots PACs organized by community members with no corporate affiliation
Donations from progressive advocacy organization PACs that are not industry-backed
Labor union PACs (these represent workers, not corporations)
PACs sponsored by community nonprofits or advocacy groups
Candidate committees of other elected officials
If you are unsure whether a specific PAC qualifies, contact Our Hawai'i for guidance before accepting the contribution.
For purposes of the Pledge, a corporate lobbyist is any individual who is registered as a lobbyist with the State of Hawai'i (or relevant jurisdiction) and who lobbies on behalf of a corporation, business, or industry association.
This includes:
Registered in-house lobbyists employed directly by a corporation or industry association
Registered contract lobbyists or lobbying firms hired by corporations or industry associations, even if they also represent other clients
Individuals who are registered lobbyists, even if lobbying is only a portion of their professional work
Lobbyist registration in Hawai'i is public record and searchable through the State Ethics Commission's lobbyist registry.
If a lobbyist is registered and represents any corporate or industry clients, they fall within the restriction. The concern is that accepting large contributions from lobbyists with corporate clients creates a conflict of interest and the appearance of pay-to-play politics, regardless of how diverse their client portfolio is.
Contributions from former lobbyists who are no longer registered and no longer engaged in lobbying activity are not covered by this restriction, though candidates should use their best judgment about the spirit and intent of the Pledge when accepting such contributions.
Registered lobbyists whose registered client list exclusively consists of nonprofits, labor organizations, and advocacy groups, they are not considered a "corporate lobbyist" for purposes of the Pledge.
The Pledge restricts contributions over $100 from executives of the following categories:
Luxury and out-of-state developers: Companies engaged in high-end real estate development and investment, especially those developing for non-local markets or driving up housing costs
Major landowners: Entities or individuals holding large tracts of land in Hawai'i, particularly those whose land practices affect housing affordability or land access for local people
Hotel conglomerates: Large hotel chains, resort operators, and hospitality corporations operating in Hawai'i
Energy monopolies: Regulated utilities and large energy companies, particularly those with a stake in delaying the transition to clean energy
Military contractors: Companies whose primary business includes the provision of military hardware, services, or infrastructure, particularly those with ties to Hawai'i military installations
An executive officer is defined as a person who holds a senior leadership or ownership role in a covered company. This includes:
Officers (CEO, CFO, COO, President, etc.)
Board members and directors
Major shareholders with a controlling or significant ownership stake (generally 10% or more)
Senior Vice Presidents and above with significant decision-making authority over company strategy
Managing partners or principals of firms
The executive restriction is designed to prevent large amounts from the individuals who most directly benefit from political influence in these industries.
Regular employees, staff, and mid-level managers of covered companies are not covered by the executive restriction.
For example: a hotel housekeeper, an electrician employed by a utility, or a junior staff member at a real estate firm may contribute to a Pledge signer's campaign above $100 without triggering the restriction — as long as they are not in a senior executive role as defined above.
The Pledge restriction applies to the executives themselves. Spouses, family members, or business partners are not automatically covered unless they independently hold an executive role in a covered company.
However, candidates should be mindful of contributions that may be designed to circumvent the spirit of the Pledge — for example, a series of large contributions from family members of a developer. Pledge signers are expected to honor the intent of the commitment, not just its letter.
Luxury developer: A company whose primary business involves developing high-end residential or commercial properties priced well above median local incomes, or whose development activities contribute to displacement and housing unaffordability.
Out-of-state developer: A company headquartered outside of Hawai'i, or a company primarily owned and controlled by out-of-state interests, whose development activity in Hawai'i primarily benefits mainland or foreign investors rather than local communities.
Local, small-scale developers who build affordable housing and are deeply rooted in the community are not the target of this restriction. When in doubt, consider: does this developer's work make Hawai'i more affordable and livable for local people, or does it drive up costs and serve outside interests?
We have identified the top major landowners in Hawai’i who collectively own more then 2,000 acres across pae ‘āina. That list can be found here.
The Pledge restricts contributions over $100 from covered sources. This means a single contribution above $100 from a covered source would violate the Pledge.
Candidates are advised to err on the side of caution: if a covered source makes multiple small contributions that together clearly exceed $100, this would not be in keeping with the spirit of the Pledge.
Review the publicly available Campaign Spending Commission data and Hawai'i State Ethics Commission lobbyist registry
Look up the donor's employer and role
Ask the donor directly whether they are a registered lobbyist or executive of a covered company
Contact Our Hawai'i for guidance
Our Hawai'i is available to help Pledge signers assess borderline situations and is committed to working collaboratively with signers to maintain compliance.
If a Pledge signer discovers they have inadvertently accepted a restricted contribution, the appropriate course of action is to return or refund the contribution promptly.
Our Hawai'i takes the integrity of the Pledge seriously and will work with signers in good faith when mistakes are identified and corrected promptly. Systemic or repeated violations, or refusal to correct known violations, would be inconsistent with the Pledge commitment.
Yes. Our Hawai'i conducts regular audits of campaign finance records for all Pledge signers each election cycle. We review publicly available campaign contribution data and will proactively reach out to any signer if we identify a contribution that appears to violate the Pledge.
Our goal is to support signers in maintaining compliance, not to "catch" anyone. We understand that campaigns receive many contributions, and mistakes can happen.
If we identify a contribution that may violate the Pledge, we will:
Reach out privately to the signer to flag the issue
Work with the pledge signer to find a resolution deadline to return the contribution. If refunding the contribution is not possible, the signer can make a public donation in the equivalent amount to the Hawai'i Election Campaign Fund through the Campaign Spending Commission before the next reporting deadline, and publicly recommit to the Pledge, within one week of the deadline. If none of this is possible, we allow a "one-strike policy" before removing candidates from the list. Mistakes happen and we want to support candidates to run clean campaigns, not punish them.
Past the "one-strike policy" if a signer violates the Pledge again and fails to address a violation within the given deadline and does not come into compliance, Our Hawai'i will:
Remove them from the Pledge signer list, including all associated branding and public listings
Publicize the removal and the reason for it