| The history of Hawaii can be traced through a | | | | statewide race; all other administrators and |
| succession of dominating industries: | | | | judges are appointed by the governor. The |
| sandalwood, whaling, sugarcane, pineapple, | | | | lieutenant governor is concurrently the |
| military, tourism, and education. Since | | | | Secretary of State of Hawaii. Both the |
| statehood was achieved in 1959, tourism has | | | | governor and lieutenant governor administer |
| been the largest industry in Hawaii, | | | | their duties from the Hawaii State Capitol. |
| contributing 24.3% of the Gross State Product | | | | The governor and lieutenant governor oversee |
| (GSP) in 1997. New efforts are underway to | | | | the major agencies and departments of the |
| diversify the economy. The total gross output | | | | executive of which there are twenty. |
| for the state in 2003 was US$47 billion; per | | | | |
| capita income for Hawaii residents was | | | | The legislative branch consists of the Hawaii |
| US$30,441. | | | | State Legislature — the twenty-five |
| | | | members of the Hawaii State Senate led by the |
| Industrial exports from Hawaii include food | | | | President of the Senate and the fifty-one |
| processing and apparel. These industries play | | | | members of the Hawaii State House of |
| a small role in the Hawaii economy, however, | | | | Representatives led by the Speaker of the |
| due to the considerable shipping distance to | | | | House. They also govern from the Hawaii State |
| markets on the west coast of the United | | | | Capitol. The judicial branch is led by the |
| States and ports of, coffee, macadamia nuts, | | | | highest state court, the Hawaii State Supreme |
| pineapple, livestock, and sugar cane. | | | | Court, which uses Aliiolani Hale (Ali'iolani |
| Agricultural sales for 2002, according to the | | | | Hale) as its chambers. Lower courts are |
| Hawaii Agricultural Statistics Service, were | | | | organized as the Hawaii State Judiciary. |
| US$370.9 million from diversified | | | | |
| agriculture, US$100.6 million from pineapple, | | | | The state is represented in the Congress of |
| and US$64.3 million from sugarcane. | | | | the United States by a delegation of four |
| | | | members. They are the senior and junior |
| Hawaii is known for its relatively high per | | | | United States Senators, the representative of |
| capita state tax burden. In the years 2002 | | | | the First Congressional District of Hawaii |
| and 2003, Hawaii residents had the highest | | | | and the representative of the Second |
| state tax per capita at US$2,757 and | | | | Congressional District of Hawaii. Many Hawaii |
| US$2,838, respectively. This rate can be | | | | residents have been appointed to administer |
| explained partly by the fact that services | | | | other agencies and departments of the federal |
| such as education, health care and social | | | | government by the President of the United |
| services are all rendered at the state level | | | | States. All federal officers of Hawaii |
| — as opposed to the municipal level as | | | | administer their duties locally from the |
| all other states. | | | | Prince Kuhio Federal Building (Kuhio) near |
| | | | the Aloha Tower and Honolulu Harbor. |
| Millions of tourists contribute to the | | | | |
| collection figure by paying the general | | | | Hawaii is primarily dominated by the |
| excise tax and hotel room tax; thus not all | | | | Democratic Party and has supported Democrats |
| the taxes collected come directly from | | | | in 10 of the 12 presidential elections in |
| residents. Business leaders, however, have | | | | which it has participated. In 2004, John |
| often considered the state's tax burden as | | | | Kerry won the state's 4 electoral votes by a |
| being too high, contributing to both higher | | | | margin of 9 percentage points with 54% of the |
| prices and the perception of an unfriendly | | | | vote. Every county in the state supported the |
| business climate [4]. See the list of | | | | Democratic candidate. |
| businesses in Hawaii for more information on | | | | |
| commerce in the state. | | | | The Prince Kuhio Federal Building also houses |
| | | | agencies of the federal government such as |
| Until recently, Hawaii was the only state in | | | | the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal |
| the U.S. that attempted to control gasoline | | | | Revenue Service and the United States Secret |
| prices through a Gas Cap Law. The law was | | | | Service. The building is the site of the |
| enacted during a period when oil profits in | | | | federal courts and the offices of the United |
| Hawaii in relation to the Mainland U.S. were | | | | States Attorney for the District of Hawaii, |
| under scrutiny, and sought to tie local | | | | principal law enforcement officer of the |
| gasoline prices to those of the Mainland. The | | | | United States Department of Justice in the |
| law took effect in September 2005 amid price | | | | United States District Court for the District |
| fluctuations caused by Hurricane Katrina. The | | | | of Hawaii. |
| Hawaii state legislature suspended the law in | | | | |
| April 2006. | | | | Unique to Hawaii is the way it has organized |
| | | | its municipal governments. There are no |
| The state government of Hawaii is modeled | | | | incorporated cities in Hawaii except the City |
| after the federal government with adaptations | | | | & County of Honolulu. All other municipal |
| originating from the kingdom era of Hawaiian | | | | governments are administered at the county |
| history. As codified in the Constitution of | | | | level. The county executives are the Mayor of |
| Hawaii, there are three branches of | | | | Hawaii, Mayor of Honolulu, Mayor of Kauai and |
| government: executive, legislative and | | | | Mayor of Maui. All mayors in the state are |
| judicial. | | | | elected in nonpartisan races. |
| | | | |
| The executive branch is led by the Governor | | | | The officers of the federal and state |
| of Hawaii and assisted by the Lieutenant | | | | governments have been historically elected |
| Governor of Hawaii, both elected on the same | | | | from the Democratic Party of Hawaii and the |
| ticket. The governor, in residence at | | | | Hawaii Republican Party. Municipal charters |
| Washington Place, is the only public official | | | | in the state have declared all mayors to be |
| elected for the state government in a | | | | elected in nonpartisan races. |