View source for Kalawao County, Hawaii

{{short description|County in Hawaii, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Kalawao County
 | type                 = [[County (United States)|County]] of [[Hawaii]]
 | state                = Hawaii
 | ex image             = Kalaupapa penninsula.jpg
 | ex image size        = 250px
 | ex image cap         = Kalaupapa peninsula
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1905
 | founded date         = 
 | seat                 = none (administered by [[Hawaii Dept. of Health]])
 | largest city wl      = Kalaupapa
 | city type            = community
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 53
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 12
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 41
 | area percentage      = 77.3
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 82
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | time zone            = Hawaii
 | district             = 2nd
 | named for            = [[Kalawao]]
 | web                  = 
}}
{{maplink|frame=yes|zoom=10|id=Q494546|type=shape|text=Interactive map of Kalawao County, Hawaii}}
'''Kalawao County''' ({{langx|haw| Kalana o Kalawao}}) is a [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Hawaii]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voss, Oscar |date=2012 |title=Is Kalawao County, on the north shore of Molokai, really a separate county? |url=http://www.hawaiihighways.com/FAQs-page6.htm#Kalawao |access-date=January 25, 2015}}</ref> It is the smallest [[County (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state|50 states]] by land area and the second-smallest county by population, after [[Loving County, Texas]].<ref>{{cite web |title=2020 Population and Housing State Data |url=https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=August 12, 2021}}</ref> The county encompasses the peninsula on the north coast of the island of [[Molokai|Moloka{{okina}}i]]. The peninsula was developed and used from 1866 to 1969 as a [[leper colony]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 27, 2015 |title=When the Last Patient Dies |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/05/when-the-last-patient-dies/394163/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811181356/https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/05/when-the-last-patient-dies/394163/ |archive-date=August 11, 2022 |access-date=August 11, 2022 |website=[[The Atlantic]]}}</ref> chosen because it is isolated from the rest of Moloka{{okina}}i by cliffs over a quarter-mile high; the only land access is a [[mule]] trail.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kalaupapa National Historical Park |url=https://www.nps.gov/kala/index.htm |access-date=August 11, 2022 |website=National Park Service}}</ref>

Due to the small population (82 as of the [[2020 United States census]]),<ref>{{cite web | url=https://public.tableau.com/shared/KZTXKDRPJ?:display_count=y&:origin=viz_share_link&:embed=y&:device=phone | title=Tableau }}</ref> Kalawao County does not have the same functions as other Hawaii counties. Instead, it operates as a judicial district of [[Maui County]], which includes the rest of the island of Moloka{{okina}}i. The county has no elected government.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kalawao County {{!}} Office of Hawaiian Affairs |url=https://www.oha.org/wp-content/uploads/RPT_Kalawao-County.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811180551/https://www.oha.org/wp-content/uploads/RPT_Kalawao-County.pdf |archive-date=August 11, 2022 |access-date=August 11, 2022 |website=Office of Hawaiian Affairs |quote=Kalawao County has no county government; a sheriff is appointed by the Hawai'i Department of Health (DOH). The HRS Chapter 326, Sections 326-1-326-40 Hansen's Disease detail topics including patient treatment, care, services, expenses, and privacy; general excise, income, and real property tax exemptions; employment, compensation, and pensions; Kalaupapa store; fishing laws exemption; and Damien Memorial Chapel.}}</ref>

==History==

The [[Hawaiian Kingdom|Kingdom of Hawai{{okina}}i]], the [[Republic of Hawaii|Republic of Hawai{{okina}}i]], the [[Territory of Hawaii]], and the [[state of Hawaii]] all exiled persons suffering from [[Hansen's disease]] (leprosy) to the peninsula, from 1866 to 1969. The [[quarantine]] policy was only lifted after effective [[antibiotic]] treatments were developed that could be administered on an outpatient basis and patients could be rendered non-contagious.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kalawao County {{!}} Office of Hawaiian Affairs |url=https://www.oha.org/wp-content/uploads/RPT_Kalawao-County.pdf |access-date=August 11, 2022 |website=Office of Hawaiian Affairs |page=7}}</ref>

Many residents chose to remain in their familiar community on the peninsula.<ref name="Magazine Fessenden 2015 v875">{{cite web | last=Fessenden | first=Maris | title=Should a Colony Where Leprosy Patients Were Once Exiled Become a Tourist Destination? | website=Smithsonian Magazine | date=May 29, 2015 | url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/should-colony-where-leprosy-patients-were-once-exiled-become-tourist-destination-180955449/ | access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref> The state promised that they could live there for the rest of their lives.<ref name="npshistory.com o323">{{cite web | title=Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Hawai'i | website=National Parks System | url=http://npshistory.com/publications/kala/index.htm | access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref> As of 2015, the population consisted of the remaining patients, plus state employees and park staff.<ref name="Senthilingam 2015 z266">{{cite news| last=Senthilingam | first=Meera | title=Taken from their families: The dark history of Hawaii's leprosy colony | website=CNN | date=September 9, 2015 | url=https://www.cnn.com/2015/09/09/health/leprosy-kalaupapa-hawaii/index.html | access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref>  Tourists 16 years of age and older and personal guests of residents may visit with prior government permission,<ref name="Kalawao_OoHA">{{cite report |author=Office of Hawaiian Affairs Research Division |date=2015 |title=Kalawao County | url=https://www.oha.org/wp-content/uploads/RPT_Kalawao-County.pdf |publisher=Office of Hawaiian Affairs |access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Kalaupapa National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service) 1980 x120">{{cite web | title=Laws & Policies | website=Kalaupapa National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service) | date=December 22, 1980 | url=https://www.nps.gov/kala/learn/management/lawsandpolicies.htm | access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref> and the general public must be part of an official tour.<ref name="npshistory.com o323" />

In 1980, the [[Kalaupapa National Historical Park]] was established to preserve the county's history and environment.<ref name="npshistory.com o323" />

==Government==
Kalawao County lacks a local, county government. Instead, Kalawao County is administered by the [[Hawaii Department of Health]] because of the history of the settlement and current patients living there. Under Hawaiian state law, the Director of the Hawaii Department of Health, who is appointed by the [[Governor of Hawaii|Governor]], also serves as the [[Mayor of Kalawao County]].<ref name="hadvertiser">{{Cite news |last=Dingeman |first=Robbie |date=October 31, 2002 |title=Smallest county to ban smoking |work=[[Honolulu Advertiser]] |url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Oct/31/ln/ln22a.html |access-date=January 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name="time">{{Cite news |last=Rawlings |first=Nate |date=December 12, 2013 |title=Hawaii Official Killed in Plane Crash |work=[[Time Magazine]] |url=https://nation.time.com/2013/12/12/hawaii-official-killed-in-plane-crash/ |access-date=January 2, 2014}}</ref><ref name="khon">{{Cite news |last=Uyeno |first=Kristine |date=December 12, 2013 |title=Hawaii Official Killed in Plane Crash |work=[[KHON-TV|KHON]] |url=http://www.khon2.com/news/loretta-fuddy-committed-to-serving-others |url-status=dead |access-date=January 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140104142321/http://www.khon2.com/news/loretta-fuddy-committed-to-serving-others |archive-date=January 4, 2014}}</ref><ref name="hsa">{{Cite news |last=Kakesako |first=Gregg K. |date=December 12, 2013 |title=Pilot described 'catastrophic engine failure' in Molokai crash |work=[[Honolulu Star Advertiser]] |url=http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/235590541.html?id=235590541 |url-status=live |access-date=January 2, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131221154659/http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/235590541.html?id=235590541 |archive-date=December 21, 2013}}</ref>  The Mayor holds executive powers within the county; the mayor also appoints a county [[Sheriffs in the United States|sheriff]], who is selected from local residents.<ref name="doh">{{Cite web |title=Department of Health Administrative Offices |url=http://hawaii.gov/health/about/doh-info.html |access-date=September 28, 2010 |publisher=State of Hawaiʻi}}</ref> The only county statutes that apply to Kalawao County directly are those on matters of health.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hawaii's 4 (or 5) Counties |url=http://www.chem.hawaii.edu/uham/counties.html |access-date=January 22, 2014 |archive-date=August 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070805013928/http://www.chem.hawaii.edu/uham/counties.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Kalawao is part of the First Judicial Circuit, which includes the entire island of [[Oahu]].<ref>[https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/Digitization/109520NCJRS.pdf "The Judiciary – State of Hawaii – Annual Report – July 1, 1986 to June 30, 1987". pp. 16, 26.]</ref> For the purpose of notarization, the designated venue for the First Judicial Circuit is "State of Hawaii, City and County of Honolulu."

The [[U.S. Census Bureau]] does not count the Kawalao County as its own county government and instead considers it a dependency of the Hawaiian state government.<ref name=CensusBureauHINarrative>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov:443/govs/cog/gc0212hi.pdf|title=Hawaii|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=2025-06-22|page=1}}</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|53|sqmi}}, comprising {{convert|12|sqmi}} of land and {{convert|41|sqmi}} (77.3%) of water.<ref name="GR1">{{Cite web |date=February 12, 2011 |title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html |access-date=April 23, 2011 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> By land area, it is the [[County statistics of the United States#Smallest counties by land area nationwide|smallest true county in the United States]]; some [[Independent city (United States)|independent cities]] in [[Virginia]] are smaller and are sometimes considered to be "county equivalents" for statistical purposes such as with the US Census Bureau.

===Kalaupapa Peninsula===
Kalaupapa Peninsula contains the county's only settlement, [[Kalaupapa]]. The Kalaupapa Peninsula developed from lava that erupted from the ocean floor near [[Kauhakō Crater]] and spread outward, forming a low [[shield volcano]]. This was the most recent volcanic episode on the island and of the larger [[East Molokai|East Moloka{{okina}}i]] shield volcano, occurring after the formation of the cliffs by erosion.

===Subdivisions===
{{Update section|date = September 2014|reason = }}

Kalawao County is composed of four [[ahupuaʻa]]. From west to east:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kalaupapa Ahupua'a neighborhood in Kalaupapa, Hawaii (HI), 96742 subdivision profile – real estate, apartments, condos, homes, community, population, jobs, income, streets |url=http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Kalaupapa-Ahupua-a-Kalaupapa-HI.html |website=www.city-data.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Waikolu Ahupua'a neighborhood in Kaunakakai, Hawaii (HI), 96742 subdivision profile – real estate, apartments, condos, homes, community, population, jobs, income, streets |url=http://www.city-data.com/neighborhood/Waikolu-Ahupua-a-Kaunakakai-HI.html |website=www.city-data.com}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-style="background: #CCC;"
! align="left" |''Ahupuaʻa'' || Area<br />mi<sup>2</sup> || Area<br />km<sup>2</sup> || {{Abbr|Pop.|Population}}
!Description
|-
| [[Kalaupapa]] || align="right"|  2.079 || align="right"|  5.385 || align="right"| 65
|West side of Kalaupapa peninsula. Includes a section of Molokaʻi's coast further west
|-
| [[Makanalua]] || align="right"|  3.229 || align="right"|  8.363 || align="right"| 8
|Strip of land in the center of the peninsula that runs to its northern tip. Includes [[Kalaupapa Airport]].
|-
| [[Kalawao]] || align="right"|  3.294 || align="right"|  8.531 || align="right"| 9
|Eastern coast of Kalaupapa peninsula and Waialeia Valley to the southeast
|-
| [[Waikolu]] || align="right"|  5.544 || align="right"|  14.359 || align="right"| 0
|Includes namesake valley. Uninhabited.<ref>[http://manoa.hawaii.edu/hpicesu/techr/135/08.pdf Mark D. McCoy: ''The Lands of the Hina: An Archeological Overview and Assessment of Kalaupapa National Historical Park, Moloka{{Okina}}i,'' Chapter 8: Assessment] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110901015953/http://manoa.hawaii.edu/hpicesu/techr/135/08.pdf |date=September 1, 2011 }}, Seite 33</ref>
|-
|-style="background: #DDD;" | class="sortbottom"
|Kalawao County|| align="right"| 14.146 || align="right"| 36.638 || align="right"| 82
|
|}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1900= 1177
|1910= 785
|1920= 667
|1930= 605
|1940= 446
|1950= 340
|1960= 279
|1970= 172
|1980= 144
|1990= 130
|2000= 147
|2010= 90
|2020= 82
|estyear=2024
|estimate=81
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2024">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 15, 2025}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{Cite web |title=U.S. Decennial Census |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html |access-date=June 28, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />1790-1960<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Census Browser |url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu |access-date=June 28, 2014 |publisher=University of Virginia Library}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{Cite web |title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/hi190090.txt |access-date=June 28, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |access-date=June 28, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 2010–2020<ref name="QF">{{Cite web |title=State & County QuickFacts |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/15/15005.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606183851/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/15/15005.html |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |access-date=June 28, 2014 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|+'''Kalawao County, Hawaii – Racial and ethnic composition'''<br><small>{{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}}</small>
!Race / Ethnicity <small>(''NH = Non-Hispanic'')</small>
!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Kalawao County, Hawaii |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US15005&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Kalawao County, Hawaii |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US15005&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!{{partial|Pop 2020}}<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Kalawao County, Hawaii |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US15005&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date= }}</ref>
!% 2000
!% 2010
!{{partial|% 2020}}
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|33
|24
|style='background: #ffffe6; |27
|22.45%
|26.67%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |32.93%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|25
|7
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9
|17.01%
|7.78%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10.98%
|-
|[[Native Hawaiian]] or [[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|71
|44
|style='background: #ffffe6; |15
|48.30%
|48.89%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |18.29%
|-
|[[Other race]] alone (NH)
|3
|0
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4
|2.04%
|0.00%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.88%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed race or Multiracial]] (NH)
|9
|14
|style='background: #ffffe6; |9
|6.12%
|15.56%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |10.98%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|6
|1
|style='background: #ffffe6; |18
|4.08%
|1.11%
|style='background: #ffffe6; |21.95%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''147'''
|'''90'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''82'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|style='background: #ffffe6; |'''100.00%'''
|}

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2000,<ref name="GR2">{{Cite web |title=U.S. Census website |url=https://www.census.gov |access-date=January 31, 2008 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref> 147 people, 115 households, and 21 families resided in the county, declining to 90 inhabitants in 2010. The [[population density]] was {{convert|11|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. The 172 housing units produced an average density of {{convert|13|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 48% [[Race (U.S. census)|Pacific Islander]], 26% [[Race (U.S. census)|White]], 17% [[Race (U.S. census)|Asian]], 3% from [[race (U.S. census)|other races]], and 6% from two or more races. [[Race (U.S. census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (U.S. census)|Latino]] of any race made up 4%. Kalawao County has the highest Pacific Islander population percentage of any U.S. county, and is the only county where they make up a plurality.

2% of households housed children under the age of 18. 17% were married couples living together. 3% had a female householder with no husband present. 81% were non-families. 79% of all households were made up of individuals, and 31% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.28 and the average family size was 2.27.

2% of residents were under the age of 18, 1% from 18 to 24, 18% from 25 to 44, 46% from 45 to 64, and 32% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 59 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.6 males. The population has declined since 1900:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bureau of the Census: HAWAII. Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990 |url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/hi190090.txt}}</ref>

<timeline>
ImageSize = width:600 height:200
PlotArea = width:80% height:70% left:20% bottom:20%
AlignBars = late

DateFormat = yyyy
Period = from:0 till:1200
TimeAxis = orientation:vertical
ScaleMajor = increment:200 start:0

PlotData=
 color:drabgreen
 bar:1900 from:start till:1177
 bar:1910 from:start till:785
 bar:1920 from:start till:667
 bar:1930 from:start till:605
 bar:1940 from:start till:446
 bar:1950 from:start till:370
 bar:1960 from:start till:279
 bar:1970 from:start till:172
 bar:1980 from:start till:144
 bar:1990 from:start till:130
 bar:2000 from:start till:147
 bar:2010 from:start till:90
 bar:2020 from:start till:82

TextData=
 pos:(100,190) fontsize:M text:Population at censuses of 1900 through 2020
</timeline>

Current residents include 16 former patients,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Planning for Kalaupapa's future means remembering its past |date=May 8, 2015 |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/29011284/planning-for-kalaupapas-future-means-remembering-its-past/}}</ref> 40 federal employees who work on preservation projects, and some state-employed health workers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wong |first=Alia |date=May 27, 2015 |title=People With Leprosy Were Exiled There—Should It Be a Tourist Destination? |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/05/when-the-last-patient-dies/394163/ |website=The Atlantic}}</ref>

==Transportation==
The only access to Kalawao County is by air, or by a steep mule trail that descends {{cvt|1,600|feet}} from the rest of Moloka{{okina}}i.  [[Kalaupapa Airport]] has scheduled air service to [[Molokai Airport|Moloka{{okina}}i Airport]] and to [[Honolulu Airport]].

Freight is delivered to the county once a year, usually in July, by barge.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Life Today in Kalaupapa |url=https://www.nps.gov/kala/learn/historyculture/life2day.htm |access-date=January 22, 2014 |publisher=[[National Park Service]]}}</ref>

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Kalawao County, Hawaii|source1=<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leip |first=David |title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections |url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/ |access-date=May 26, 2017 |website=uselectionatlas.org}}</ref>}}
<!--{{PresRow|Year|GOP #|Dem #|3rd #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|24|48|3|Hawaii}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|13|46|4|Hawaii}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|11|30|4|Hawaii}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|14|26|0|Hawaii}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|6|24|1|Hawaii}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|2|25|0|Hawaii}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|1|14|5|Hawaii}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|1|23|0|Hawaii}}
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|3|15|0|Hawaii}}
{{PresFoot}}

Like the rest of the state, Kalawao County is a stronghold for the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. It was the only county in the United States where the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] candidate in the [[2016 United States presidential election]], [[Donald Trump]], finished in third by only getting one vote; 70% of Kalawao's voters chose Democratic nominee [[Hillary Clinton]], and 25% of Kalawao voters cast their ballots for [[Green Party of the United States|Green Party]] candidate [[Jill Stein]], making it Stein's strongest county nationwide in terms of vote percentage.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Statewide Precinct Detail |url=http://files.hawaii.gov/elections/files/results/2016/general/precinct.pdf |access-date=March 13, 2020 |publisher=State of Hawaii Office of Elections}}</ref> In 2020 [[Joe Biden]] improved on Clinton's 2016 performance by over 25% as the Greens declined to zero votes, giving Biden 96% of the vote, which was his strongest performance in any county in the United States. This is one of four counties, along with [[Jim Hogg County, Texas]], [[Brooks County, Texas]], and [[Menominee County, Wisconsin]], that have never voted Republican.<ref>Sullivan, Robert David; [http://www.americamagazine.org/content/unconventional-wisdom/how-red-and-blue-map-evolved-over-past-century ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’]; ''America Magazine'', June 29, 2016</ref>

However, many people in Kalawao County are also [[Social conservatism in the United States|socially conservative]], with this county being the only one in the state to vote against [[2024 Hawaii Amendment 1]], which repealed a state constitutional amendment that allowed Hawaii's legislature to outlaw [[same-sex marriage]].<ref>{{cite web |title=GENERAL ELECTION 2024 - State of Hawaii - Statewide Precinct Report |url=https://elections.hawaii.gov/wp-content/results/precinct.pdf |access-date=2025-04-01}}</ref>

==Education==
The county is within the [[Hawaii Department of Education]] school district.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st15_hi/schooldistrict_maps/c15005_kalawao/DC20SD_C15005.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Kalawao County, HI
|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 22, 2022}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st15_hi/schooldistrict_maps/c15005_kalawao/DC20SD_C15005_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref>
{{-}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Sister project auto}}

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Kalawao County, Molokai, Hawaii
|North     = [[Pacific Ocean]]
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Pacific Ocean]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Maui County]]
|Southwest =
|West      = [[Pacific Ocean]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Kalawao County, Hawaii}}
{{Hawaii}}
{{Authority control}}
{{coord|21|11|49|N|156|58|02|W|region:US-HI_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki|display=title}}

[[Category:Kalawao County, Hawaii| ]]
[[Category:Molokai]]
[[Category:Hawaii counties]]
[[Category:1905 establishments in Hawaii]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1905]]
[[Category:Maui County, Hawaii]]