The Ballot Brief
Honolulu County, Hawaii

Hawaii Senate District 20

3 candidates are tracked for Hawaii Senate District 20 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Markus Owens, Kurt Fevella and Bob McDermott. Candidate information follows official Honolulu County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

About this race

Markus Owens (Democratic), Kurt Fevella (Republican), Bob McDermott (Republican) are on the November 3 ballot for Hawaii Senate District 20; Kurt Fevella is the sitting member, per the Legislature's official members directory (capitol.hawaii.gov). Every candidate ran in the August 8 primary; the top finisher of each party advanced, per the Office of Elections' final primary results. Ballot status: the August 8 Republican primary between Kurt Fevella and Bob McDermott ended in an exact 1,212 to 1,212 tie in the Office of Elections' final summary; press reports (Honolulu Star-Advertiser, KHON2, September 10) say McDermott won the tiebreaker drawing and Fevella has asked the Hawaii Supreme Court to intervene, so both Republican names are listed until the Office of Elections' certified November candidate list settles the printed field.

What this office does

State legislator. State legislators write and vote on state laws and the state budget, which fund schools, roads, prisons, universities and health programs, and set the rules for local governments and elections. Each member represents one district and serves on committees that shape bills before a floor vote. Terms are two years in most state houses and four in most state senates.

This race. Elected by district: only voters who live in the district see this race on their ballot. The sitting officeholder, Kurt Fevella, is on the ballot.

Hawaii › Honolulu County › Hawaii Senate District 20

Markus Owens

Democratic

Top priorities

  • Increase affordable housing supply and expedite permitting for 'Ewa Beach.
  • Improve transportation options for West Oahu and invest in resilient infrastructure and flood mitigation.
  • Expand tech, agricultural, and renewable energy industries to create higher-wage jobs beyond tourism.

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Owens is a Coldwell Banker Realty REALTOR who has spent 33 years in Hawaii government service and more than 30 years as a sports broadcaster, per the campaign site. He is a former University of Hawaii Rainbow baseball player, per the campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)
Kurt Fevella

Kurt Fevella

RepublicanIncumbent

Top priorities

  • Secure continued funding to address aging and overcrowded schools and improve roads and infrastructure.
  • Offer state tax incentives for clean industries, technology startups, and specialized trades in 'Ewa Beach.
  • Eliminate the general excise tax on necessities and increase shipping competition to lower import costs.

Per the campaign site.

Biography

Kurt Fevella is the sitting Hawaii State Senator for District 20, seeking reelection, per the Legislature's roster and his campaign site. He is a lifelong 'Ewa Beach resident and a 1986 graduate of Campbell High School, per his campaign site.

Campaign site (opens in a new tab)

Bob McDermott

Republican

Top priorities

  • Government accountability and ethics reform in state government
  • Cost of living for Hawaii residents
  • Raises concerns about sex-education curriculum content in public schools
Biography

Bob McDermott works in real estate sales and previously served as a Hawaii State Representative from 1996 to 2002 and again from 2012 to 2022, according to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. He is a Marine Corps veteran of the Gulf War whose career has also included Kona coffee distribution work and a term as Navy League executive director. McDermott won an Aug. 15, 2026 tiebreaker drawing over Sen. Kurt Fevella after the two tied at 1,212 votes each in the Republican Senate District 20 primary, per Hawai'i Public Radio. Fevella has since asked the Hawaii Supreme Court to review that outcome after the court invalidated a similar tiebreaker method used in a House race; as of Sept. 11, 2026 the challenge remained pending, per Hawaii News Now. No campaign website was found as of September 11, 2026; the Office of Elections' primary results are the only verifiable source for Bob McDermott.

Next on your ballotHawaii Senate District 21

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Questions about this race

Who is running for Hawaii Senate District 20 in 2026?

3 candidates are tracked for Hawaii Senate District 20 on the November 3, 2026 ballot: Markus Owens, Kurt Fevella and Bob McDermott. Candidate information follows official Honolulu County election filings; verify with the official election office linked below.

When is the Hawaii Senate District 20 election in Hawaii?

Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Registration deadlines, early voting dates and mail ballot rules for Hawaii are on the Hawaii election hub at theballotbrief.com.

How do I see my exact Honolulu County ballot?

Enter your ZIP code in the lookup at theballotbrief.com for the statewide and congressional races, or a full street address to add the county, city and district contests for that location.

Verify this race

Candidate roster from official Honolulu County and state election office filings, last verified September 27, 2026. Bios and priorities carry their attribution inline.

Cross-check with the official Hawaii election office, or see the full Honolulu County sample ballot and your exact ballot by address.

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47 tracked races in Honolulu County, Hawaii. Landed here from another county's search? Look up your own ballot below.

Also on your ballot
Hawaii Senate District 25Hawaii House District 18Hawaii House District 19See all 47 Honolulu County races
Candidate profiles
Markus Owens, full profileKurt Fevella, full profileBob McDermott, full profileOfficial Hawaii election office