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Election blog: Hirono, Ige, Case and Gabbard cruising to easy victories

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Video by Craig T. Kojima
Voters trickled in this morning at the polling place at McKinley High School.
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Video by Craig T. Kojima / ckojima@staradvertiser.com
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Video by Craig T. Kojima / ckojima@staradvertiser.com
Polling precinct chairman Joseph Magaldi at McKinley High School in Honolulu talks about voting at his polling station today.
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CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM

Voters trickled in to the polling place at McKinley High School this morning.

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COURTESY FIONA LYNCH

Voters head into the Kamiloiki Elementary School polling place in East Oahu shortly after polls opened at 7 a.m. today.

UPDATE: 8:30 p.m.

The second printout of election results show all the major front-runners retaining their substantial leads. They include Gov. David Ige, U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, and former U.S. Rep. Ed Case.

The latest printout totaled more than 239,000 votes, with 100 percent of the walk-in votes counted. The next printout is expected at 10 p.m., with the night’s final printou at about 11:30 p.m.

Elections officials ssay the last polling place to close tonight was at Kihei Elementary on Maui at 7:08 p.m.

7:15 p.m

The first printout of Hawaii election results shows Gov. David Ige, U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, and former U.S. Rep. Ed Case are all cruising to victory.

6:50 p.m.

Hawaii elections officials are waiting to hear that about 20 remaining polling places across the state have closed. After all polls are confirmed closed, they will release the first results from today’s election.

6:30 p.m.

The Associated Press has projected Gov. David Ige will win re-election over Republican state Rep. Andria Tupola even though the first printout of the Hawaii vote results have yet to be released.

6:15 p.m.

The Associated Press has projected Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono has won re-election in Hawaii, defeating Republican Ron Curtis. The AP’s call for the heavily favored incumbent comes as some Hawaii polling places remain open past the scheduled 6 p.m. closing time.

5:45 p.m.

Hawaii polls are scheduled to close at 6 p.m. however anyone who is on line to vote at that time will be allowed to cast their ballot.

2:30 p.m.

Two electronic voting machines — one at Lelehua High School and one at Waipahu High School — had temporary problems this afternoon that have since been resolved.

The electronic voting machines provide an alternative to paper ballots and both had minor problems with their electrical connections, said Nedielyn Bueno of the state Office of Elections.

“The problem was a wire connection,” Bueno said. “It got loose and they had to fiddle with it. It was fixed in the past couple of hours.”

UPDATE: 11:30 a.m.

Several polling sites encountered minor problems with either voting machines or ballot scanners this morning after precincts opened.

Nedielyn Bueno, voter services section head of the state Office of Elections, said a troubleshooter was sent to Ala Wai Community Park to fix a voting machine.

Troubleshooters also replaced a ballot scanner at a polling site at the Helemano Elementary School Cafeteria because it wasn’t powering up and fixed a ballot scanner at the Mililani High School Cafeteria.

11:15 a.m.

Claudja So, a college student who just turned 18, cast her ballot for the first time at Kawananakoa Middle School where turnout was steady this morning.

“My parents were saying that as a citizen of the U.S., we are given this right to vote so that I should vote, and so I said OK — though I had to do some last minute research on the candidates,” So said. “I definitely feel like an adult now.”

Afterward, she posed for her parents for a photo with her “#hivoted” ballot stub. Her mother, Michelle, said she had urged Claudja to participate.

“I told her, I said many people have fought for us not just as women but as citizens to have the right to vote,” Michelle So said. “We have all these complainers and they’ve never voted. Whether your candidate wins or not, you had a say in who could have been on the seat or who isn’t going to make it.”

PREVIOUS COVERAGE

All 235 polling sites statewide opened at 7 a.m. today as voters trickle in at their designated polling places to cast their ballots.

“Everything seems to be running smoothly at this point,” said Nedielyn Beuno, voter services section head of the state Office of Elections.

As of Tuesday, over 188,000 absentee mail-in and early walk-in absentee ballots have been tallied so far for the general election.

This is the state’s first general election where residents are allowed to both register to vote at their polling sites today and vote.

Jane Luis-Mateo, 47, of Kakaako registered to vote at the 26-06 precinct at the McKinley High School Cafeteria to set an example for her three children and six grandchildren.

She also voted because she stressed a change is needed to help younger generations like her children and grandchildren to be able to work and live in Hawaii.

“Everything is just ridiculously high,” Luis-Mateo said, adding many isle residents are forced to move to the mainland because of the high cost of living. “Nothing is affordable.”

All polling places close at 6 p.m. today. Bueno said people who are in line at 6 p.m. at poling sites would be able to vote.

Joseph Magaldi, Jr. precinct chairman of precinct 26-06 at the McKinley High School Cafeteria, said they encountered a problem with a voting machine due to wiring problems.

The machine was down for approximately an hour before it was fixed with the help of a troubleshooter.


Star-Advertiser reporter Susan Essoyan contributed to this report.

For full Honolulu Star-Advertiser coverage of the 2018 General Election, go to 808ne.ws/SA2018VOTE


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