Waikiki leans heavily Democratic by roughly 32 points: about 66% of voters vote Democratic and 34% Republican.
About 44% of adults in Waikiki typically vote, below the U.S. average of about 62%. Among adults in Waikiki, ~29% vote Democratic, ~15% Republican, and ~56% don't vote. The map below shows estimated turnout by block group.
How Waikiki compares
Among neighborhoods within 5 miles, Waikiki leans more Democratic than 8 of 13 neighbors.
Waikiki runs about 9 points more Democratic than Hawaii as a whole.
Politics vary noticeably by block within Waikiki. The east side is the most Democratic-leaning (D+40) and the west side is the least Democratic-leaning (D+26), a spread of about 14 points.
Why Waikiki leans the way it does
Density, race composition, education, and family structure all sit close to their national averages in Waikiki. 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; Waikiki, Honolulu, HI sits in the top tenth nationally on this measure.
Why turnout in Waikiki looks the way it does
Crowded housing lines up with lower turnout. About 9% of homes in Waikiki have more than one occupant per room, above 89% of neighborhoods. Strong routine healthcare access lines up with higher turnout, and Waikiki sits in the top quarter on routine-care measures. Learn more about the findings and methodology on the political spectrum map.
Nearby Neighborhoods
- Mxcully-Moiliili, Honolulu, HI D+34
- Diamond Head-Kapahulu-St Louis, Honolulu, HI D+36
- Ala Moana-Kakaako, Honolulu, HI D+31
- Makiki, Honolulu, HI D+34
- Kaimuki, Honolulu, HI D+32
- Manoa, Honolulu, HI D+44
- Palolo, Honolulu, HI D+25
- Downtown, Honolulu, HI D+33
- Waialae-Kahala, Honolulu, HI D+27
- The Arts District, Honolulu, HI D+23
Neighborhoods with Similar Populations
- North Cambridge, Cambridge, MA D+71
- Maplewood, Rochester, NY D+46
- Whiskey Point, Chicago, IL D+48
- Metzger, Tigard, OR D+39
- Kailua Kona, Kailua-Kona, HI D+18
- Rockaway Park, Queens, NY R+8
- Todt Hill, Staten Island, NY R+26
- Greater Rosemont, Baltimore, MD D+72
- East Arlington, Jacksonville, FL R+14
- Drnag, San Bernardino, CA D+13
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.