Hawaii is one of eight states that now conduct all elections by mail, with California recently joining the group. For Hawaii, the 2022 election is the second statewide election with all voters mostly going to the mailbox instead of the polls to participate in democracy.
According to reports by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 730,000 ballots have been mailed out. For voters this is the first election that allows voters to get email updates when their ballot is mailed to them, and then a notification when the completed ballot is received by election officials.
“Voters can sign up to receive text, email, or voice notifications of when their ballot has been mailed and when it has been received and validated by their county Elections Division,” stated Nedielyn Bueno, state elections spokeswoman.
Voters can sign up for this free service by visiting elections.hawaii.gov, according to Bueno.
The move to a mail-in ballot increased turnout somewhat, but as observers predicted did not dramatically increase participation.
Election officials have been hesitant to say if this election with the primary race to be counted on Aug. 13 will show a dramatic increase.
There is a major statewide race: the gubernatorial contest that features three well-known candidates — Lt. Gov. Josh Green, Congressman Kai Kahele and former first lady Vicky Cayetano — and observers have speculated that hotly contested major races usually increase participation.
Early reports say more than 100,000 ballots have already been returned.
Bueno said in an interview that after the voter service centers throughout the state have closed on Aug. 13, the first results will be released.
“Close of voting is 7 p.m. and once we receive confirmation that all voter service centers have closed, we will release the first report,” Bueno said.
In past elections before statewide mail-in balloting, the election tallies dribbled in as polls closed, but now the first report should be telling.
Bueno said that “the first report will reflect mail ballots received up until the day prior to election day.”
That first report should wrap up most election races, except for small legislative or county council contests that could swing on a handful of votes.
Bueno said a second release is planned later that night.
“In-person votes, as well as mail ballots received on election day, (will) be included in the second report scheduled to be released at 10 p.m.,” she said.
Finally, for those hoping for a sudden last-minute change, a final “election night” report will be released as each county finishes processing, Bueno said, adding that in 2020, the final primary election report came in around 11:30 p.m.
Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays. Reach him at 808onpolitics@gmail.com.
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