The Primary Election on August 8 was Hawaii’s first “all vote by mail” election, following a trial of the Legislature’s plan on Kaua’i in 2018.  It worked well then, and it worked well on Saturday.  The Hawaii State Legislature decided well before the COVID-19 pandemic to convert the state to “all vote by mail.”  One goal was to try to improve voter turnout.

A total of 122,125 people registered to vote in Hawaii County, more than in 2018 General (115,406), the 2018 Primary (112,885) or 2016 Primary (109,690). Statewide, election officials have said that more ballots were coming in this year than in any recent year.

Everybody who registered received their ballot in the mail around 3 weeks ago.  The total number of people who voted in the Primary Election yesterday was 65,034, or 53.3% of those registered.  That’s the highest percentage turnout in years–more than 2016 and 2018 Primary and General Elections.    While not as high as desired (i.e. not 100%), it was a good turnout.

And in a sign of how people adapted to voting by mail, the actual number of people who returned their mailed ballot via the U.S. Mail or to special Ballot Drop Boxes was 63,381, with only 1%, or 1,203 people, taking advantage of the two Voter Service Centers, one in Kona, one in Hilo.   The intent of the Voter Service Centers was for people who could not vote via mail for some reason, or needed to register and vote,  or needed to use a voting machine.

President Donald Trump, and some people on this island, have expressed concern about rampant voter fraud possible in voting by mail.  But in an interview with Dr. Todd Belt of George Washington University (formerly with UH Hilo) with New West Broadcasting’s Sherry Bracken, Dr. Belt talked about where voting by mail has been used and said there is no evidence of any widespread fraud that’s been able to escape detection and has been successful.   Click here to hear that conversation.