By Benjamin Finnerty (S), REALTOR® (RS-83812) with Keller Williams Realty Maui · Kīhei, Maui · 808-481-9748

Quick Answer: Eight Maui County Charter amendments are on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot. Question 1 (Resolution 25-135) would set clearer deadlines for planning commission review of Council-proposed general plan, zoning and land use changes, and require a public hearing to be scheduled within 60 days. If approved, it takes effect January 2, 2027.

I’m Benjamin Finnerty, a REALTOR® in Kīhei, Maui, with Keller Williams Realty Maui. Mail ballots are arriving this week, and most of the Maui charter amendments for 2026 deal with how county government runs. One of them, Question 1, touches the process every rezoning goes through, including the hotel rezoning proposals tied to Bill 9. I’m not here to tell anyone how to vote. Here’s what the question does, based on official sources, and why property owners may want to read it closely.

What are the 2026 Maui charter amendments?

There are eight proposed amendments, all placed on the ballot by the Maui County Council. According to the Council and Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s October 15 voter explainer, they cover:

Question	Topic	Effective if approved
1	Planning commission review deadlines for general plan and land use ordinances	Jan. 2, 2027
2	County Clerk deadlines for reviewing petitions	Jan. 1, 2027
3	Excluding weekends and holidays from Charter deadlines	Jan. 1, 2027
4	Filing injury and property damage claims with the Director of Finance	Jan. 1, 2028
5	Keeping only the ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi state motto in the preamble	Upon passage
6	Emergency appropriations through a line of credit	Jan. 2, 2027
7	Repealing the Independent Nomination Board	Immediately
8	Allowing one successive reappointment of Board of Ethics members	Upon approval

The County Auditor’s fiscal impact analysis, dated September 8, 2026, estimates Question 1’s added annual cost at less than $25,000.

What does Maui Charter Question 1 actually change?

Question 1 standardizes the deadlines for planning commissions to review Council-proposed revisions to the general plan, zoning and other land use ordinances, and lines up the Council’s own action timeline with those deadlines. It also requires the Planning Director to schedule a public hearing within 60 days after the Council transmits a Council-initiated proposal to the Planning Department. Hawaiʻi Public Radio’s explainer notes that if a commission misses its deadline, the Council can act anyway.

How does the Charter handle planning commission review today?

Right now, the Charter sets different clocks in different sections. Section 8-8.4 says a planning commission sends land use ordinances to the Council no later than 120 days after its final public hearing, and general plan revisions no later than 180 days after the final hearing. Section 8-8.6 says that when the Council proposes a revision and the commission disapproves it, recommends a change the Council doesn’t accept, or doesn’t report within 120 days of referral, the Council can still pass it, but only with at least two-thirds of its entire membership.

Question 1 is about making those timelines consistent and predictable. It doesn’t approve, reject or change any specific zoning.

Why does Question 1 matter to Maui property owners?

Because Council-initiated rezonings run through this process. This year, the hotel rezoning proposals connected to Bill 9 (Ordinance 5909, signed December 15, 2025) went to the county’s planning commissions before returning to the Council. I wrote about that review in my post on the Maui Planning Commission’s Bill 9 recommendations.

For condo owners and buyers watching whether a building might be rezoned, timing is part of the decision. Clearer deadlines could make it easier to know when a proposal will move from a commission back to the Council. Whether that speeds things up or simply makes the schedule more predictable will depend on how the new rules are applied, so I’d treat any timing estimate as a scenario.

Do any other charter amendments affect property owners?

Two touch property indirectly. Question 4 would let people file personal injury and property damage claims against the county directly with the Director of Finance, or as an ordinance provides, instead of the County Clerk, starting January 1, 2028. Question 6 would let the Mayor, with Council approval, use a line of credit for emergency appropriations; the Council pointed to the August 2023 wildfires and the 2026 Kona low storms as examples of emergencies that need a fast response.

When are Maui ballots due for the November 3, 2026 election?

Voted ballots must be received by the County Elections Division by 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The state Office of Elections lists October 16 as the ballot mailing date, and the County Clerk’s office said packets should arrive the week of October 19. Voter service centers open October 20. The Department of the Corporation Counsel’s explanations of each amendment are posted at mauicounty.us/great, and general election information is at mauicountyvotes.gov.

If you’re new to Maui, my new resident checklist covers voter registration, and my post on the November 2026 election and the condo market covers the races.

My Take: What I’m Telling Buyers and Owners

For buyers, a charter amendment doesn’t change any building’s zoning. It’s a process rule. Your due diligence still starts with the specific property: its current zoning, whether it’s on the Minatoya List, and whether it’s named in any pending rezoning resolution. Ask for that information before you write an offer, not after.

For owners of apartment-zoned condos weighing whether to sell now or wait for rezoning votes, I come back to the same conversation. I look at your reasons for considering selling, and at the potential long-term results of both rezoning and losing vacation rental rights. Based on your goals as an owner, I help you come to the decision that’s right for you. A clearer review timeline is one more input to that conversation, not a reason to rush.

For everyone, read the full question before you vote. The Corporation Counsel’s explanations are short and worth the five minutes.

General information, not tax or legal advice; confirm with a CPA or Hawaiʻi attorney.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many charter amendments are on Maui’s 2026 ballot?
Eight, all proposed by the Maui County Council for the November 3, 2026 general election.

What is Maui Charter Question 1?
It sets consistent deadlines for planning commission review of Council-proposed general plan and land use ordinance changes and requires a public hearing to be scheduled within 60 days. If approved, it takes effect January 2, 2027.

Does Question 1 rezone any properties?
No. It changes the review process, not the zoning of any parcel.

When must Maui ballots be received?
By 7:00 p.m. on November 3, 2026, by the County Elections Division.

Where can I read official explanations?
At mauicounty.us/great, prepared by the Department of the Corporation Counsel.

Ask Benjamin

If you own or are considering a Maui condo and want help checking its zoning or rezoning status, I’m Benjamin Finnerty, and I’m happy to look it up with you. Call or text 808-481-9748 or email benjamin@the808team.com.

Sources: Maui County Council (Sept. 18, 2026 release on charter amendments); Hawaiʻi Public Radio voter explainer (Oct. 15, 2026); Maui Now (Sept. 18, 2026); Charter of the County of Maui, Sections 8-8.4 and 8-8.6; County of Maui Office of the County Auditor fiscal impact analysis (Sept. 8, 2026); Hawaiʻi Office of Elections 2026 vote-by-mail guide.