The Hawaii Office of Elections has determined that the Green Party petition has enough valid signatures. As a result, the Green Party is now safely on the ballot in Hawaii for 2012 through 2022. Hawaii says when a party has been on the ballot in three elections in a row, it is then automatically on the ballot for the next ten years.

Recently, Hawaii rejected the Constitution Party petition, and the Justice Party petition, for not having enough valid signatures. It is possible one or both parties will sue to overturn the February 2012 petition deadline. In 1986, a U.S. District Court in Hawaii enjoined the petition deadline for newly-qualifying parties, in a case brought by the Libertarian Party. At the time the law required the petition to be submitted at least 150 days before the primary.

Since then, the deadline has been made even earlier, 170 days before the primary.