Lahaina voters encouraged to update information

Maui County and the state Office of Elections are working to help displaced Lahaina voters receive their mail-in ballots ahead of the Aug. 10 primary election and Nov. 5 general election.

Thousands of survivors of the Aug. 8 wildfires continue to live in Maui hotels while Gov. Josh Green, Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen and the Federal Emergency Management Agency work to find them more permanent housing.

Mailed ballots cannot be forwarded to a new address “so we need to keep voter information current,” said Chief Elections Officer Scott Nago.

The county and Nago’s office in October sent letters to nearly 17,000 Lahaina voters that began, “We would like to extend our deepest sympathies in the aftermath of the August 2023 wildfires. While we understand that this may be a difficult time for you and your family, we are committed to ensuring that you continue to have the opportunity to vote in the 2024 Elections.” The letters included a voter registration application on the back, along with a pre-addressed, prepaid envelope to mail to the Maui County Clerk’s Office.

Voters still living in hotels or elsewhere should list their hotel address or temporary location as their current address, Nago said.

“We recognize that as the recovery effort proceeds, you may need to continue to update your voter registration,” according to the letter. “You may also update your voter registration at elections.hawaii.gov by logging in with your Hawaii Driver License or Hawaii State ID.”

For more questions about voter registration and ballots, voters can call the Maui County Elections Division at 808-270-7749, or the Office of Elections at 1-800-442-VOTE (8683).