County clerks in Hawaii have been provided state money to increase the number of ballot drop boxes for the upcoming Nov. 3 general election, but getting them delivered to each island could be an issue, state Rep. Chris Lee, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said Saturday.
“Even if they bought additional drop boxes, could they get here in time, and in time to educate the public?” Lee told the Honolulu Star- Advertiser. “There are logistical questions, not so much a monetary question.”
Hawaii switched to all-mail-in voting this year, but the U.S. Postal Service is warning states it cannot guarantee that all ballots cast by mail for the Nov. 3 election will arrive in time to be counted, even if ballots are mailed by state deadlines. And on Thursday, President Donald Trump frankly acknowledged that he’s starving the Postal Service of needed funds to make it harder to process an expected surge of mail-in ballots.
Lee and state Sen. Karl Rhoads, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Trump is trying to prevent Americans — including voters in Hawaii — from voting by mail in the upcoming general election, which will decide the country’s next president.
They want the state attorney general to begin assessing Hawaii’s legal options should Trump’s efforts to undermine the Postal Service actually keep people in the islands from voting.
Hawaii voters in this month’s primary election cast more votes than ever — more than 406,000 — and 99% were delivered by mail.
Several voters leading up to the Aug. 8 primary told the Star-Advertiser they would appreciate more drop boxes on Oahu, which allow voters to deposit their ballots in the days leading up to the 7 p.m. close of voting on Election Day.
For the general election, drop boxes currently planned for eight locations on Oahu will open Oct. 16. Six of these “places of deposit” will be available during park hours through
7 p.m. Nov. 3 at district parks in Kaneohe, Kahuku and Waianae, the Neal S. Blaisdell Park in Aiea, and the Mililani and Hawaii Kai park-and-ride sites. Ballots also may be dropped at voter service centers at
Honolulu Hale and Kapolei Hale weekdays from
7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Nov. 2, and from
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Nov. 3.
Dates, hours and locations of drop boxes vary by county, and state elections officials say the decision to add more of them is up to each county clerk.
Lee said he and Rhoads reached out to elections officials before the primary about adding drop-off boxes and voter service centers “to let them know there’s funding available if they need it. It all worked out, thankfully.”
Additional funds remain, although Lee on Saturday could not immediately identify the exact amount and how many additional drop-off boxes they could fund.
Lee also hopes election officials increase voter messaging leading up to the general election “to make sure people go to the right places and send in their ballots early so it isn’t any issue with the post office.”
State elections officials have said voters should expect to receive their mail-in ballots around Oct. 16.
“We’re safeguarding our election and want to expand on voter awareness,” Lee said. “Building on the success of the primary election, we’re expecting a lot of people to show up in November. We want to make sure people are aware and have all of the information they need to vote.”
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