The state government of Hawaii is modeled after the federal government with adaptations originating from the kingdom era of Hawaiian history. As codified in the Constitution of Hawaiʻi, there are three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial.

The executive branch is led by the Governor of Hawaiʻi and assisted by the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii, both elected on the same ticket. The governor, in residence at the grounds of Washington Place, is the only public official elected for the state government in a statewide race; all other administrators and judges are appointed by the governor. The lieutenant governor is concurrently the Secretary of State of Hawaiʻi. Both the governor and lieutenant governor administer their duties from the State Capitol. The governor and lieutenant governor oversee twenty agencies and departments.

The legislative branch consists of the Hawaii State Legislature — twenty-five members of the Hawaii Senate led by the President of the Senate and fifty-one members of the Hawaii House of Representatives led by the Speaker of the House. They also govern from the State Capitol. The judicial branch is led by the highest state court, the Hawaii State Supreme Court, which uses Aliʻiōlani Hale as its chambers. Lower courts are organized as the Hawaii State Judiciary.

The state is represented in the United States Congress by a delegation of four members. They are the senior and junior United States Senators, the representative of Hawaii's 1st congressional district and the representative of Hawaii's 2nd congressional district. Many Hawaii residents have been appointed to administer other agencies and departments of the federal government by the President of the United States. All federal officers of Hawaii administer their duties from the Prince Kūhiō Federal Building near the Aloha Tower and Honolulu Harbor.

Hawaii has supported Democrats in 10 of its 12 presidential elections with the exception of 1972 and 1984. In 2004, John Kerry won the state's 4 electoral votes by a margin of 9 percentage points with 54% of the vote. Every county in the state supported the Democratic candidate. In 1964, favorite son candidate, Senator Hiram Fong of Hawaii sought the Republican presidential nomination while Patsy Mink ran in the Oregon primary in 1972.

Honolulu native Barack Obama, serving as United States Senator from Illinois, was elected President of the United States on November 4, 2008. Obama had won the Hawaiian Democratic Caucus on February 19, 2008 with 76% of the vote. Obama was the third Hawaii-born candidate to seek the nomination of a major party and the first presidential nominee from Hawaii.

The Prince Kūhiō Federal Building also houses agencies of the federal government such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service and the United States Secret Service.

The building is the site of the federal courts and the offices of the United States Attorney for the District of Hawaiʻi, principal police officer of the Department of Justice in the United States District Court of Hawaiʻi.

Unique to Hawaii is the way it has organized its municipal governments. There are no incorporated cities in Hawaii. All local governments are administered at the county level.

Honolulu County governs the entire island of Oahu. County executives are the Mayor of Hawaii, Mayor of Honolulu, Mayor of Kauaʻi and Mayor of Maui, all elected in nonpartisan races.