Kalihi-Palama leans slightly Democratic by roughly 10 points: about 55% of voters vote Democratic and 45% Republican.
About 34% of adults in Kalihi-Palama typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Kalihi-Palama, ~19% vote Democratic, ~15% Republican, and ~66% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Kalihi-Palama compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, Kalihi-Palama leans more Democratic than 1 of 13 neighbors.
Kalihi-Palama runs about 13 points more Republican than Hawaii as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within Kalihi-Palama. The south side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+22) and the northeast side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+6), a spread of about 16 points.
Why Kalihi-Palama leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Kalihi-Palama. The lean here lands roughly where demographic data alone would predict.
Population density and Democratic lean
Places with high population density tend to lean Democratic; Kalihi-Palama, Honolulu, HI sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in Kalihi-Palama looks the way it does
Areas with high food insecurity turn out at lower rates. About 31% of adults in Kalihi-Palama report food insecurity, about 14 points above the U.S. average of 16%. Renters vote less often than owners, and about 62% of households in Kalihi-Palama rent, about 38 points above the U.S. average of 25%. Low high-school completion lines up with lower turnout, and about 79% of adults in Kalihi-Palama have completed high school, below 87% of neighborhoods. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Liliha-Kapalama, Honolulu, HI D+23
- The Arts District, Honolulu, HI D+23
- Kalihi Valley, Honolulu, HI D+11
- Downtown, Honolulu, HI D+33
- Nuuanu-Punchbowl, Honolulu, HI D+31
- Moanalua, Honolulu, HI D+13
- Makiki, Honolulu, HI D+34
- Ala Moana-Kakaako, Honolulu, HI D+31
- Aliamanu, Honolulu, HI D+13
- Mxcully-Moiliili, Honolulu, HI D+34
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- River Oaks-Kirby-Balmoral, Memphis, TN D+30
- Hyde Park, Los Angeles, CA D+70
- TCU-West Cliff, Fort Worth, TX D+6
- Clinton, Manhattan, NY D+64
- Financial District, Manhattan, NY D+58
- Paerdegat, Brooklyn, NY D+78
- Parkway Village-Oakhaven, Memphis, TN D+73
- Green Valley North, Henderson, NV D+10
- Walnut Valley, Diamond Bar, CA D+9
- Park, Stockton, CA D+26
Sources and methodology
Precinct-level voting records used to fit the model come from Hawaii Office of Elections, distributed by the Voting and Election Science Team. Demographic inputs come from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS 5-year estimates and the 2020 Decennial Census). Health and environmental inputs come from the CDC (PLACES and the Environmental Justice Index). Land cover comes from the USGS and EPA. Election-day and lead-up weather come from PRISM 4km daily grids and the NOAA Global Historical Climatology Network. Mail-voting and election-administration patterns come from the MIT Election Lab's Survey of the Performance of American Elections. Block-group crime detail comes from CrimeGrade. Internet data and modeling support provided by ISPreports.org.
Modeling and analysis by the BestNeighborhood data science team. Some land-use inputs for Hawaii, including walkability and the environmental-justice index, are estimated rather than measured, so the figures here carry added uncertainty. Full methodology and findings: political spectrum map.
Methodology reviewed by the BestNeighborhood data team. Last updated May 2026.