The State has an election coming up.  The deadline to register is this Thursday, July 9.

The next election is on Saturday, August 8, but in reality, with all voting by mail, the deadline to mail in your ballot will be several days in advance; the State Office of Elections is asking the ballots to be in the mail by August 3.  Even from the Big Island goes to Honolulu before returning to its destination on Hawaii Island.

What’s at stake in the August election?  Although it’s called a “Primary,” for the nonpartisan County races –County Mayor, County Prosecuting Attorney, and all the County Council races–if any of the candidates in a race gets more than 50% of the vote, they will win that race.  They will not even be listed on the ballot in the General Election on November 3.  So the Primary Election in August is critical for the local races.

If none of the nonpartisan candidates get more than 50%, the top two vote-getters go on to the General Election on November 3.  And in the Primary, all of the partisan races–State House, State Senate, U.S. House, U.S. Senate–will end up with one candidate in each party going on to the General Election.

Voter registration is online.  You’ll need your Social Security Number and Hawaii State I.D. or Driver’s License number to begin the online process.

To register to vote online, and it must be done by this Thursday, go online to https://olvr.hawaii.gov/

OR you may download and print a Voter Registration Form at elections.hawaii.gov/voters/applications

You may also pick up an applications from the County Office of Elections in the Hilo County Building or at West Hawaii Civic Center, or at the U.S. Post Office, or at state offices or libraries that have reopened to the public.

If you are already registered, you should have received a confirmation card in the mail, asking you to verify your current signature.  If you did not receive it, or aren’t sure the Elections Office has your current physical mailing address, check online to confirm your registration information att https://olvr.hawaii.gov/

For general information about the elections, go to elections.hawaii.gov

To contact the Hawaii County Elections Office with any question about your registration, call 808-961-8277