On the first day of voter service centers opening statewide, 57-year-old Earl Koanui visited the service center at Kapolei Hale to cast his ballot for the 2020 general election.
“My wife and I came in person to vote. To me it’s that important,” Koanui, of Kapolei, said.
Eight voter service centers opened statewide Tuesday for in-person voting, same-day registration and collection of voted ballots.
>> PHOTOS: Voter service centers open across Hawaii
Though officials continue to encourage registered voters to mail in their signed ballots to reduce the spread of COVID-19, voters who opt to cast their ballots in person may do so at any service center in Hawaii.
Traditional polling places will not be established for the election.
Honolulu city Clerk Glen Takahashi said, “We still are in this COVID-19 pandemic. So the preferred way of voting is to vote by mail. But if you must use our services in person, we are certainly there. If you are requiring an accessible voting device or a replacement ballot, please come by.”
Replacement ballot requests also may be requested online at honolulu.gov/elections. Takahashi advised registered voters to mail in voted ballots before Oct. 27. After that date, voters are advised to drop off signed ballots at any official ballot drop box.
The voter service centers are open through Nov. 2, Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. On Election Day, Nov. 3, the centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Honolulu election administrator Rex Quidilla encouraged voters who opt to vote in person to vote early. “Don’t wait until the last few days until Election Day. Keep the crowd density low and avoid a long wait in line.”
Nearly 20 people stood in line at the voter service center at Kapolei Hale at about 3:30 p.m. Tuesday. Koanui said he wanted to vote in person to ensure his ballot is counted. “I’m very concerned that mail-in can cause delays in the election. … It’s going to take weeks before everything is counted.”
Roughly 200,000 voted ballots on Oahu already have been received at the Honolulu Elections Division and will be sent to the state to be counted, Takahashi said at a news conference held Tuesday at the Airport Industrial Park.
In the 2008 general election, the year Hawaii-born Barack Obama was elected president and became the first African American to hold that office, voter turnout statewide was 456,064, or 66%, the highest voter turnout in Hawaii history.
Voter turnout for the City and County of Honolulu alone that year was 308,443. With the estimated 200,000 voted ballots received on Oahu so far, Takahashi said he is hopeful Honolulu’s voter turnout will eclipse the city’s 2008 turnout. “We’re two-thirds of the way there.”
During the news conference, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell said, “This is about people using their voice to determine their future.”
Kapolei residents Stephanie and Thomas Kaiawe, both 38, cast their ballots at Kapolei Hale after they didn’t receive the ballots in the mail.
Thomas Kaiawe noted some of their packages in the past have been mistakenly delivered to other homes. Instead of requesting replacement ballots from the city, the couple opted to cast their ballots in person Tuesday. “I just want to make sure that somebody else isn’t putting a vote in my name,” Kaiawe said.
Where to vote
Here is a list of voter service centers in Hawaii that are open today through Nov. 3 for in-person voting, same-day voter registration and collection of voted ballots. The centers are open Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Nov. 3 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Oahu:
>> Honolulu Hale, 530 S. King St.
>> Kapolei Hale, 1001 Uluohia St.
Hawaii island:
>> West Hawaii Civic Center, 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Highway, Kailua- Kona
>> Aupuni Center, 101 Pauahi St., Hilo
Kauai:
>> Piikoi Building, 4444 Rice St., Lihue
Maui:
>> Velma McWayne Santos Community Center, 395 Waena St., Wailuku
Lanai:
>> Lanai Police Station, 855 Fraser Ave., Lanai City
Molokai:
>> Mitchell Pauole Center, 90 Ainoa St., Kaunakakai
Places of deposit are also set up across the state to drop off signed ballots.
For more information on locations for voter service centers and places of deposit, visit 808ne.ws/voterservicecenters.
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