Today is Election Day, and your last chance to have a say in who will govern the island and the country–and to vote on some other important local races. ALL BALLOTS MUST BE IN THE COUNTY ELECTION OFFICE OR ONE OF THE BALLOT DROP BOXES OR ONE OF THE TWO VOTER SERVICE CENTERS BY 7 p.m. TODAY!
You can actually still register and vote at the Voter Service Centers, one at West Hawaii Civic Center in the Community Hale (the makai-most building) and one at the Aupuni Center Conference Room in Hilo. People may register and vote or drop off their ballot today from 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. If you are in line at 7 p.m., the Voter Service Center will accommodate you. If you have received your ballot and it’s spoiled–you marked something you didn’t intend to–you may also get a new one if you take your ballot to the Voter Service Center.
You may also deposit your ballot in any one of the 8 Ballot Drop Boxes around the island, which are open until 7 p.m. this evening. Make sure you sign the outside of the envelope, or your ballot won’t count.
The Ballot Drop Boxes are located at:
- West Hawaii Civic Center by the DMV
- Yano Hall in Captain Cook
- Police Station in Na’alehu
- Police Station in Pahoa
- Hilo County Building
- Police Station in Laupahoehoe
- Police Station in Waimea
- Police Station in North Kohala in Kapa’au
Do not mail your ballot today–it must be received today by 7 p.m.–postmark does not count.
In addition to the national races, including the hotly-contested Presidential race, there are a number of important local races:
- U.S. Representative
- Hawaii County Mayor
- County Council District 1, Hamakua
- County Council District 5, Puna
There are also 16 Charter Amendments on the ballot. To hear a discussion about pros and cons of the amendments with members of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters, click here.
Hawaii County Elections Administrator Pat Nakamoto says that as of Friday around 4 p.m., out of 127,493 registered voters in the county, the number of ballots already returned is 77,613. In the Primary Election in August, a total of 65,034 people voted.
Nationally, more than 100 million people have already voted.