Question: Regarding voting by people who are in care homes, please print the details because I don’t use a computer.
Answer: As noted in Wednesday’s column, a care-home resident can get help marking their ballot, as long as they make their own decisions and meet other requirements; like other voters with disabilities, they cannot be assisted by their union or employer. Here are key points for care-home residents, as specified by the state Office of Elections, elections.hawaii.gov.
“If a resident of a care facility requests for assistance from a facility personnel in registering to vote and voting their ballot, the following guidelines should be observed to protect the voter’s rights:
“Reach out to family members to get them involved in the process of registration and voting.
“Ensure that the resident meets all the qualifications to register to vote.
“When providing assistance in voting, staff must remain nonpartisan and there should be at least two people of differing political affiliation present.
“No one may ask a voter to see or look at the contests of their ballot or choice of political affiliation.
“No one may mark a person’s ballot or direct a person in voting without authorization.
“An attempt to vote in the name of another without specific authorization is illegal.
“The following actions constitute voter and election fraud:
“A person who directly or indirectly offers to give valuable consideration and/or offer money to any voter to induce that voter to vote or refrain from voting for any particular person.
“A person who directly or indirectly, personally or through another person, threatens, forces or intimidates a voter to refrain from voting, or to vote for any particular person or party at any election.
“A person who votes or attempts to vote in the name of any other person, living or dead, or in some fictitious name.
“A person who has already voted and knowingly attempts to vote again.
“A person who knowingly gives or attempts to give more than one ballot for the same office at the time of voting.”
Q: Many years ago I recall stricter rules being put in place about operating personal watercraft such as Jet Skis. Are those still in place? I see a lot more of them lately and the drivers seem like kids.
A: Yes, the rules you recall apply to thrill craft, including Jet Skis. In 2005, the state Department of Land and Natural Resources implemented an administrative rule requiring thrill craft operators to be certified in the safe use of their watercraft, in addition to completing a basic boating safety course, according to the DLNR website. However, a Hawaii resident or visitor can still rent a thrill craft and operate it without being certified, the website says. “Residents and visitors can rent a thrill craft from a commercial vendor (Jet Ski rental) to ride in the commercial thrill craft zones. Rented thrill craft are restricted to commercial thrill craft zones (a 200-foot radius circle) in an Ocean Recreation Management Area,” it says. Under the state rule, a person must be at least 15 years old to operate (drive) a thrill craft. Read much more on the DLNR website, at dlnr.hawaii.gov/dobor/thrill-craft.
Q: I just received my mail and I got this survey kind of thing. It says it’s from the Nielsen company, but I don’t know if this is legit or not. The thing that makes me suspicious is that there was a $1 bill in there and the letter says they want me to fill out this questionnaire and that the dollar was to say thank you and if I return the survey before Oct. 7 they will be sending me $5 as a thank you for completing the survey. I’m wondering if this is legit, or whether it’s some kind of scam.
A: Nielsen is a market research company that pays consumers a small token to encourage them to complete its surveys — this is a fairly common tactic in the industry; companies conducting the research gain consumer insights far more valuable in the marketplace than the token payments. That said, scammers do impersonate legitimate companies. Without seeing your letter, we can’t say whether it’s real. Contact the Nielsen Research Survey Operations Center at 1-800-753-6043 or by email at Surveys@NielsenLocalSurveys.com with questions about the mailer you received.
Mahalo
Mahalo Nui to the person who turned in my keys last week to the Downtown Post Office. I was preoccupied and unaware I had forgotten them. I am so grateful to you. I hope many blessings come your way. — M.I.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
