by Edwin Quinabo
As Hawaii’s general election approaches, curiosity is building over the political affiliations of the state’s Filipino community in 2026 and whether voters identify as Democrats, Republicans or independents — a question that could help shape understanding of one of Hawaii’s largest ethnic groups at the ballot box.
Informal community conversations suggest more Filipino Americans in Hawaii may be shifting toward the Republican Party. There’s already been a solid bulk of Filipino independents. However, available data — Including surveys that combine U.S. Census demographics with Hawaii’s precinct-level 2024 election results — indicate that the state’s Filipino community remains largely Democratic. No research has confirmed the reported Republican shift, while evidence supports continued strong Democratic Party affiliation in Hawaii.
Hawaii data still show strong Democratic support among Hawaii Filipinos
Researchers face a key limitation: Hawaii does not track voter affiliation by ethnicity. As a result, no official statistics show how many Filipino voters in the state are registered as Democrats, Republicans or independents.
To assess political party voting patterns, the Hawaii Filipino Chronicle (HFC) examined deeper two available data sets that when combined could be revealing. The first was the Hawaii State Data Center’s 2020 Filipino population report, which identified Waipahu, Ewa, Kalihi-Palama, Pearl City and Aiea as having some of the state’s highest concentrations of Filipino residents. The second was the 2024 election results, which showed Democrats winning by wide margins in several districts that include those communities. Brandon Elefante received 69.6% of the vote in Senate District 16, Mahina Poepoe received 65.6% in House District 13, and Luke Evslin received 63.7% in House District 16 are examples.
Also, these districts with high concentrations of Filipino voters elected representatives who are mostly Democrats. These are historical trends and until these trends change, it’s safe to assume Hawaii Filipinos remain largely Democratic.
But the two data sets do not provide conclusive evidence because the election results do not isolate votes cast by Filipino residents in these districts. Still, the results are consistent voting patterns in these districts, where both Filipino and non-Filipino candidates have been elected. What do they have in common? Most of those candidates have been Democrats, with rare exceptions in areas such as Ewa, where a sizable military population is part of a community that also has a substantial Filipino presence.
Two national surveys point to similar results: majority of Filipinos still lean Democratic
While national surveys on Filipino Americans’ political affiliation did not mention Hawaii Filipinos, two surveys show a similar pattern as Hawaii Filipino Chronicle’s analysis.
These national surveys also show Filipino American voters leaning Democratic, although the size of that advantage varies by survey and methodology. In the first national survey, a Pew Research Center survey conducted from July 2022 through January 2023 found that 68% of Filipino American registered voters identified with or leaned toward the Democratic Party, compared with 31% who identified with or leaned Republican.
In the second national survey, AAPI Data’s 2024 Asian American Voter Survey found a narrower Democratic edge. Forty-five percent of Filipino American voters identified as Democrats or leaned Democratic, down from 48% in 2020, while 28% identified as Republicans or leaned Republican, down from 34%. Thirty percent identified as independents, up from 24% in 2020; after excluding independents who leaned toward either major party, 21% were classified as “pure independents.”
Beyond hard data, informal small survey
In a small survey sample for this HFC 2026 General Election cover story, respondents agreed more readily on political diversification among Hawaii’s Filipino constituency. The results suggest a community whose political loyalties are becoming more varied ahead of the general election. Respondents cited younger voters’ weaker attachment to inherited party loyalties, and dissatisfaction with both major parties as possible reasons for greater political party diversification. Across party lines, the clearest shared message was that candidates must earn support from a politically diverse community.
Political party and the issues
Democrat survey respondents emphasized cost of living, affordability, public education, affordable health care, labor protections, voting rights, civil rights, reproductive health care, environmental protection and economic assistance for working families.
Republican and conservative respondents in this HFC survey mentioned limited government, lower taxes, fiscal restraint, public safety, border enforcement, parental rights, religious liberty and individual freedom.
The HFC survey asked three questions: 1) Which political party do you support and why? 2) Do you think Hawaii Filipino voters are still predominantly Democrat or there is a surge in Filipino Republicans? 3) Independent Filipino voters have historically had a strong presence in elections. Are there more or fewer Filipino independents now than there were 10–20 years ago?
Which political party do you support? Why?
Martina Agonoy, Kalihi, Democrat, said Democrat policies are what roughly 74% of Americans agree on — safe communities, good education, being able to have medical care, an affordable standard of living, family stability, and the American dream. “Democrats are and have always been focused on improving living standards for ordinary folks. They made the Affordable Care Act so everyone can have access to health insurance and funded Medicaid so those who can’t afford private insurance also have health care.”
Agonoy commented on the mayor of NYC. “Mayor Mamdani in New York just opened five city-sponsored groceries where the prices are lower than private groceries because there is no profit motive for the big chain owners. Mamdani also ushered in affordable housing on a lottery basis to help lower income families with their dream of owning a home. This past quarter, the crime rate in New York City hit a record low this year because Mamdani understands the need for community coordination of services. Democrats don’t just talk tough – they have statistics-based plans for how to accomplish goals that Americans want for their communities.”
Mariner Cadiz, Teacher’s Aid, Honolulu, Republican, said many of the Republican party’s policy priorities align with her personal beliefs regarding family, individual responsibility, economic opportunity, limited government, and personal freedom.
“As a Filipino American, I was raised to value hard work, education, family, faith, and respect for others. These values influence my political views and the policies I support,” Cadiz said. She lists Republican policy platforms that are important to her: 1) Economic growth and lower taxes: Supporting tax policies intended to encourage investment, job creation, and economic growth while allowing individuals and families to retain more of their earnings. 2) Small businesses and entrepreneurship. 3) Family values and parental rights: Emphasizing the role of families in raising children and supporting parental involvement in educational decisions. 4) Public safety and law enforcement: Supporting law enforcement, strengthening community safety, and addressing crime. 5) Border security and immigration: Supporting stronger border enforcement, legal immigration processes, and immigration policies that prioritize national security. 6) Government spending and fiscal responsibility: Advocating responsible government spending, reduced waste, and greater accountability for taxpayer dollars. 7) Religious freedom: Protecting the rights of individuals and families to practice their religious beliefs.” She adds, “No political party has all the answers, and I may not agree with every Republican position or candidate.”
Dennis Galolo, Honolulu, Republican, said he supports the Republican Party because its core beliefs align more closely with the social, economic and political values that he believes in.
Michael Berueda, Foster Village, supports the Democratic Party because “of its liberal approach to government intervention and social welfare.” Specific platforms he supports include the economy where the focus is on creating jobs, raising the minimum wage, investing in small businesses, and closing economic gaps. For the environment, he said, “Democrats prioritize action on the climate crisis and securing clean energy independence. On healthcare, Democrats support strengthening Medicare and Medicaid, lowering prescription drug prices, and making medical care more affordable. The Democrats’ social policy focuses on protecting abortion access, civil rights for minority groups, and freedoms for all Americans.
Linda Dela Cruz, Makiki, conservative, said “I have conservative values on most issues. I want someone who represents my values as well. As a person who has worked in the news industry for my entire career, newsies are encouraged to show both sides. There are multiple sides to a story. Each person may see it differently. People can also change their minds about issues.”
Keith Saguinsin, Kapolei, independent, “Both political parties have their strong and weak points. Both parties have become too partisan, and I think most people are voting with the ‘lesser of two evils’ in mind. I like Democrats social safety nets programs like Social Security, Medicare, and so on, where government should have a role in crafting society alongside the private sector. This is a responsible approach to governing. Affordable healthcare is where there must be better results. I like Republicans push for careful spending of our tax dollars. However, recently, they haven’t been doing a good job. The data is clear and available to look up. Both parties have been too pro-big corporations in the way of massive subsidies, deregulation and tax breaks. Inequality has widened and people seem to be too rich or too poor. The middle class is falling. Too many hardworking Americans are struggling to get by. Both parties are to blame because they are afraid to make bold changes or the political system corrupts our elected officials on both sides to keep the status quo. We need more viable parties as alternatives to the Republicans and Democrats, something like what they have in many European countries.”
Teresa Doumont said she identifies with the Democratic Party because many of its policy priorities align with her personal values, particularly education, healthcare, economic opportunity, equality, and support for working families. “As a Filipino American, I also recognize the importance of community, family, education, and opportunities for future generations. These values influence how I evaluate political candidates and policies.” She said the Democratic policy platforms that are particularly important to her include: 1) Public education: Supporting public schools, investing in teachers, expanding early childhood education, and ensuring that all children have access to quality educational opportunities. 2) Affordable healthcare. 3) Economic opportunities for working families: Supporting fair wages, workers’ rights, affordable housing, and policies that address the rising cost of living. 4) Protecting Social Security and retirement security. 5) Immigration reform: Supporting pathways to citizenship, family reunification, and protections for immigrants while maintaining an orderly immigration system. 6) Civil rights and equality. 7) Women’s rights: Supporting reproductive healthcare access, workplace equality, and protection against discrimination.” She adds, “I do not believe that supporting a political party means agreeing with every decision its leaders make. Rather, I support candidates and policies that reflect my priorities.”
Do you think Hawaii Filipino voters are still predominantly Democrat or there is a surge in Filipino Republicans?
Agonoy said, “My fear is that Filipino Republicans believe the same myth [which Hispanics fell for in the last election] — that if they align themselves with Republicans, they too will become as rich as the Republicans they see. My fear is that Filipino Republicans don’t realize that they are not white, they are brown, and the Republicans they idolize will never see Filipinos as part of their in-group. Just aligning yourself with who you want to be does not give you access to the wealth you want. I hope Filipinos will see the truth and recognize that it is the Democrats who have fought to improve opportunity and give people hope. Democrat-backed unions are the reason there is higher pay, vacation benefits, health insurance, sick leave, jury and funeral leave, 40 hours work weeks, overtime pay, worker’s compensation, temporary disability insurance, unemployment insurance, retirement benefits, and more. If you have ever benefited from these, thank the Democrats. The Republicans have decades long history of trying to abolish all of these.”
Cadiz said, “I believe Filipino voters in Hawaiʻi have traditionally leaned Democratic, largely because of the historical relationship between the Democratic Party, organized labor, immigrant families, and working-class communities. However, I think it is important to recognize that Filipino Americans are not necessarily committed to one political party. There is evidence of substantial Republican support among Filipino voters, and I believe economic concerns and changing political priorities deserve greater attention.”
Galolo said, “Most Filipinos who were born and raised here in Hawaii tend to be Democrats because of the strong union ties that their parents, grandparents and other relatives had. On the other hand, I think that Filipinos who immigrated here and have become U.S. citizens tend to be more independent or conservative, especially if they are small business owners or educated. In general, I think most Filipinos are apathetic when it comes to voting, especially those who are 35 years old and younger. They have too many other priorities such as work, paying bills, raising children and caring for parents.”
Berueda said, “While Hawaii’s Filipino voters historically lean Democratic due to deep-rooted ties to labor unions and plantation history. Today’s electorate has become harder to define. Rather than a surge in registered Republicans, there seems to have been a rise in independent leanings alongside strategic shifts driven by economic concerns.”
Dela Cruz commented, “Filipinos have been at the helm of both parties in Hawaii.”
Doumont said she recognizes that political preferences within the Filipino community are changing. “There appears to be growing interest in Republican candidates, particularly around issues such as the economy, cost of living, immigration, public safety, and traditional values.”
Independent Filipino voters have historically had a strong presence in elections. Are there more or fewer Filipino independents now than there were 10–20 years ago?
Cadiz said, “independent Filipino voters continue to represent an important part of the electorate, and there is some evidence that independent identification has increased in recent years, according to AAPI Data.
Galolo believes “there are more independent Filipino voters now, especially in the last election when a good number of Filipinos voted for Trump.”
Berueda said, “it seems that younger generations do not hold the same automatic party loyalty as their grandparents, making the bloc less predictable. It seems like Filipino Americans broadly register as Democratic but the fastest-growing segment within the community is voters who refuse to align with either major party, choosing to remain independent. While the structural advantage in Hawaii still favors the Democratic Party, I think that the Filipino electorate can no longer be viewed as a monolith.”
Doumont lists some factors she believes could be contributing to a rise of independents among Filipinos: 1) Younger generations: Younger Filipino Americans may approach politics differently from their parents and grandparents. 2) Economic concerns: Hawaii’s high cost of living may lead voters to consider candidates from different parties. 3) Dissatisfaction with political parties.
“Personally, I think political independence can reflect a desire to evaluate candidates individually. Even though I identify with the Democratic Party, I respect people who examine each candidate’s qualifications and positions before making their decisions. My view is that political independence and party loyalty are not necessarily opposites. A person can generally support one party while remaining willing to question its policies and leadership,” Doumont said.
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