It’s hard to miss.

A large mural with the words “VOTE! YOU RUN 808” in a bold black font over a white background was painted on the Ewa-side wall of the eleven50 Building earlier this week. The mural also features a Hawaiian flag running across the bottom.

Formerly known as the Atlas Building, the 14-story building is on South King Street between Pensacola and Piikoi streets in lower Makiki.

The mural and the “YOU RUN 808” campaign are the work of nonprofit groups Every1ne Hawaii and Pow! Wow! Hawaii. The goal of both is to encourage Hawaii residents, especially younger ones, to vote in the 2020 elections.

Hawaii is well known for its strict billboard and signage laws, but a city Department of Planning and Permitting spokesman said that a preliminary review of the mural indicates that it’s legal.

“We’re still looking into it, but on the surface it looks like it’s a political sign, which is not regulated under (city land use laws),” said Curtis Lum, DPP spokesman. “And it’s on private property … freedom of speech and all that stuff.”

The Outdoor Circle, which has aggressively fought against billboards and commercial signage over the years, states on its website, “Although there are few restrictions on the display of political signs on private property, TOC has developed guidelines for their display and periodically reminds and encourages candidates to follow them.”

>> PHOTOS: Large mural encourages voter registration

Winston Welch, Outdoor Circle executive director, said he reached out to a Pow! Wow! Hawaii representative to get a better understanding of the group’s intent. “They view it as an artistic installation encouraging all people in Hawaii to vote, and it comes from an artistic point of view that low voter turnout is unhealthy for society,” Welch said. Those responsible stressed that they are not endorsing any political candidate or group, Welch said, adding that he was also told the mural is evolving and might change at some point.

Welch said his organization has not taken a position on the mural. “If it were signage, we would clearly have a problem with it,” he said.

Every1ne Hawaii is a nonprofit “collaborative composed of nextgen influencers from all facets of the Hawai‘i community, coming together for the purpose of engaging, empowering and activating Hawai‘i’s next generation,” according to the group’s website.

Pow! Wow! Hawaii is a nonprofit devoted to promoting local arts and culture and is affiliated with many of the murals sprouting up in Kakaako in recent years.

So why the eleven50 Building?

Every1ne Hawaii leaders did not respond to requests to comment for this story Friday night.

But the fee owner for the property is 1150 South King Street LLC, according to city property tax records. State Business Registration Division records list local businessman and philanthropist Duane Kurisu as the company’s agent. His son, Robert Kurisu, is one of the co-founders of Every1ne Hawaii.

Every1ne Hawaii sponsored the recent video public service advertisement featuring University of Hawaii athletes encouraging residents to register to vote. The PSA, which uses the same “VOTE YOU RUN 808” slogan, was made with the consent of UH athletic director David Matlin and appears on the department’s website.

While the deadline to register online to vote in Hawaii’s primary election was Thursday, Hawaii residents may still register in person at voter service centers from July 27 to Aug. 8, Primary Election Day.

Every1ne Hawaii and Robert Kurisu also spearheaded an effort in April to bring into Hawaii an estimated 2 million face coverings that it distributed free to the needy across the state to help stem the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.