The Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii is the state’s second-ranking executive officer and also performs the duties of Secretary of State, a position Hawaii has never created as a stand-alone office. Sylvia Luke has held the job since December 2022. Because of that combined role, the office handles work that in most states is scattered across several agencies: authenticating documents for use abroad, processing legal name changes, filing agency rules, and standing first in line to become Governor.
What the Office Does Day to Day
Most of the office’s routine work flows from its Secretary of State functions. Three areas touch residents directly.
Legal Name Changes
In Hawaii, a legal name change goes through the Lieutenant Governor’s office rather than a court. The petition must be notarized, and the filing costs $50, plus a $1 archive fee and a $5 service fee per petition. The fees are nonrefundable, and only Hawaii residents qualify.1State of Hawaii. Name Change Application
Once the Lieutenant Governor signs the order, the petitioner has to publish notice in a newspaper of general circulation and then file an affidavit of publication with the office within 60 days. Miss that window and the petition is void; the fees do not come back. A prosecuting attorney can file an affidavit to waive publication and keep the change off the public record when safety is a concern. Registered sex offenders generally cannot obtain a name change unless a court specifically finds it serves the interest of justice.2Justia. Hawaii Revised Statutes 574-5 – Change of Name Procedure
Apostilles and Document Authentication
When a Hawaii document such as a birth certificate or marriage record needs to be used in a country that belongs to the 1961 Hague Convention, the Lieutenant Governor’s office issues an apostille confirming the signatures and seals are genuine. The fee is $3 per document, payable by money order, cash, or cashier’s check.3Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Apostilles and Certification of Documents
Administrative Rules and Public Meetings
Every state agency regulation must be filed with the Lieutenant Governor’s office and then sits for ten days before taking effect.4Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Role of the Lt. Governor Under Hawaii’s Sunshine Law, public meeting notices and agendas have to be filed with the office at least six days before the meeting, and the office maintains the statewide calendar where those agendas are posted. The office also keeps and distributes the Hawaii Revised Statutes and session law books.
Becoming Governor
If the Governor’s office becomes vacant through death, resignation, or removal, the Lieutenant Governor becomes Governor outright, not on an acting basis. That rule comes from Article V, Section 4 of the Hawaii Constitution.5FindLaw. Hawaii Constitution Article V, 4 – Succession to Governorship; Absence or Disability of Governor When the Governor is out of state or temporarily unable to serve, the Lieutenant Governor takes on full executive authority as Acting Governor until the Governor returns.
If both offices are vacant at the same time, the duties pass down a statutory line beginning with the President of the Senate, but no one further down the line actually becomes Governor; they serve only in an acting capacity.6Justia. Hawaii Revised Statutes 26-2 – Order of Succession to Offices of Governor and Lieutenant Governor
Who Can Hold the Office
The qualifications match those for Governor. A candidate must be at least 30 years old, a qualified voter in Hawaii, a United States citizen for at least 20 years, and a resident of the state for at least five consecutive years immediately before the election.7LRB Legislative Reference Bureau. State Constitution – Section: Article V The Executive The 20-year citizenship requirement is stricter than most states impose for executive office. Residency disputes typically turn on tax filings and voter registration history.
How the Election Works
Hawaii runs a two-stage election that keeps gubernatorial and Lieutenant Governor primaries separate. In the primary, Lieutenant Governor candidates run on their own, with voters picking a nominee from each party independent of any gubernatorial pairing.8NLGA. Methods of Election The winning Lieutenant Governor nominee then joins that party’s gubernatorial nominee as a single ticket for the general election.
One practical consequence: a Governor and Lieutenant Governor from the same party may not have chosen each other. They won their spots separately. Hawaii holds its gubernatorial elections in midterm years, and the next one is in 2026.9Ballotpedia. Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
Term and Term Limits
The term is four years and begins at noon on the first Monday in December after the election.10Office of Elections. Governor and Lieutenant Governor A 1978 constitutional amendment caps the office at two consecutive four-year terms. A former Lieutenant Governor who has served two terms back-to-back must sit out at least one full term before running again.9Ballotpedia. Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii
Salary and Budget
The salary is set by the state salary commission. Effective July 2026, the annual salary is $221,746.80.11State of Hawaii DHRD. 2024-25 Salary Recommendations For fiscal year 2026, the office’s total operating budget is roughly $2.56 million, split between about $2.25 million in general funds and $312,000 in special funds, supporting a staff of about 17.12Hawaii State Budget. Office of the Lieutenant Governor FB25-27 PFP