Local Wiki · State overview
Local Government in Hawaii
How local government works in Hawaii, the kinds of local government it has, and where to look for more. For your own county or city, browse Hawaii’s Local Wiki pages below.
Each of Hawaii's four functioning counties (Hawai'i, Honolulu, Maui, Kaua'i) has a directly elected mayor as chief executive and a separately elected county council as the legislative body. Because Hawaii has no separately incorporated cities or towns beneath the county level, the county is the only general-purpose local government residents deal with — for planning, permitting, police, parks, and more. For a meeting or records request, contact the county council or clerk for legislative matters, or the mayor's office for executive and administrative ones.
Most states structure local government as a small elected commission with combined legislative and executive power; Hawaii instead gives each county a separately elected mayor as chief executive alongside an elected council, because the counties themselves are the state's only general-purpose local governments.
Local government in Hawaii
- County governments3
The main local government across most of the state.
Browse county pages - Cities, towns & villages1
Incorporated municipalities with their own elected council or board.
Browse city & town pages - School districts0
Independent school districts, plus 1 school system run by a county, city, or town government. Listed on county pages where known.
- Special districts17
Single-purpose governments — fire, water, library, parks, housing, transit, and more.
Counts: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments — Government Units listing. A consolidated city-county is counted once.
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