Ballots have been mailed out to registered voters, and should have arrived at homes by now. All adult residents of Hawaii now need to do their democratic duty and make their values and choices known, by casting a vote.
Hawaii is notoriously a low voter-turnout state. An analysis of voter behavior by States Newsroom (a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization) in 2023 showed that Hawaii averaged a 48.2% turnout in the 2020 and 2022 elections, ranking the Aloha State fifth from last — just above Oklahoma, and just below Arkansas.
Hawaii has taken several steps to boost voting, adopting by-mail balloting in 2019 and automatic voter registration in 2021. Same-day registration is also available. Eligible voters can even go to a designated elections office, register and then vote on primary or general election day.
Our state ranks fourth-highest in the nation for ease of voting, and as Common Cause Hawaii highlights, voter turnout increased by almost 70% for the 2020 general election, compared to 2016. There is hope that these nudges will continue to encourage more voters to return their ballots.
Marco Valera, a 37-year-old legislative aide who told the Star-Advertiser he wants to create a nonprofit focused on increasing voter turnout, said legislators notice when voters show up. That’s one reason that Hawaii’s seniors, who have an impressive voter turnout rate, have a political advantage — making it far more likely that causes appealing to seniors will be taken up by elected officials.
“If people want improvement or changes in government, the first step is voting,” Valera said. “Long-term changes come up from the grassroots level.”
So: Let’s do this!
Get familiar with the ballot and the issues before voting. The new Office of Elections digital voter guide — yet another step to encourage voting and help voters make informed choices — is available at elections.hawaii.gov. It includes a guide to all races, with candidates’ statements if submitted, and provides a good base from which to launch one’s own research.
Consult a trusted news source and candidates’ own campaign materials for more. The Star-Advertiser has studied the major races, as well as select, competitive races down-ballot. The paper’s primary endorsements have been published in a series beginning Sunday; find them at staradvertiser.com/editorial in the “Our View” category.
Surprise observers and the powers-that-be by turning out. Rest assured that the more Hawaii voters participate in primaries, the harder savvy candidates will work to connect with their potential constituents.
To vote reflects an individual’s interests and concerns, and Hawaii voters have the most influence on local and statewide issues. To drive local change, local voters must turn out, expect elected representative to advance their preferences — and communicate with them to let them know if they are doing the job expected.
Just turned 18, new to voting in Hawaii or have a new address? You have until this coming Wednesday to register. Would-be voters can do that online by inputting information from a Hawaii driver’s license or state ID card; without these, a voter can submit a paper registration at a county Elections Division office. Register or print out the registration, and locate elections offices at elections.hawaii.gov.
Aug. 10 is the official date to vote in Hawaii’s primary elections, and ballots must be mailed, turned in or cast at voting locations so that they are received by the elections office by that date, 16 days from today.
Voters choose a candidate to represent them, but they also signal that they believe in the process — and care enough to participate.
