All eligible recordings released between January 1 and December 31 of each year and submitted to the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts are included in the preliminary balloting. The ballot is sent out to current paid HARA Membership. Once voting is completed, an accounting firm tabulates the votes, and the five recordings with the most votes in each category proceed to the final ballot.
The same process is followed for the Final Ballot.
Who Determines the Winners?
The HARA Board of Governors does NOT determine the winners. The current paid HARA Membership decides the winners through online voting.
Adjudicated Categories
The following categories are judged by professionals in their respective fields:
- Graphics
- Liner Notes
- Engineering Awards (2)
- Haku Mele
- Hawaiian Language Performance
- International Album
Judges include graphic artists, writers, engineers, and Hawaiian language and music specialists.
Voting Process
The preliminary and final ballot votes are conducted online via Election Runner. The Adjudicated Categories and the Favorite Entertainer vote are also conducted online, with the award recipients announced at the ceremony.
Favorite Entertainer of the Year
The public votes for the Favorite Entertainer of the Year. This vote is conducted on the HARA website. To qualify, artists must:
- Have released an album in the eligibility year appearing on the final ballot
- Be residents of Hawai‘i and living within the eligibility year
- Not be part of a compilation or anthology