Monday is the last day to register to vote in the 2012 General Election, coming up Tuesday, November 6. Those interested may register Saturday, October 6 and Monday, October 8 at three places in person with the League of Women Voters Wiki Wiki Registration: Kona K-mart, Malama Market in Pahoa, and at Bayfront in Hilo at a drive-through tent. All three locations will be open from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
All voter registration documents must turned in at the County Elections Office by 4:30 p.m. Monday. If mailed, they must be received by then. The Wiki Wiki Voter Registration forms at the three special locations will be valid if filled out there, on site, on Saturday or Monday even though the deadline is Monday at 4:30.
The League of Women Voters has a special county-provided lock box that is secured, so delivery of the voter registration forms via the Wiki Wiki Registration is legally valid. The volunteers at each of the locations are also specially trained, so they are available to answer any questions about voter registration. They can also assist by reviewing the forms, whether you fill them out there or bring the form to them, so your registration will be perfect when submitted. Residents may also bring their own filled-out forms to the Wiki Wiki Registration to turn them in, and are encouraged to use the services of the volunteers with League of Women Voters to answer any questions about the forms or process.
Voters may also get their voter registration documents online at www.hawaii.gov/elections and at libraries, county offices, post offices, state offices, and at the County Office of Elections in Hilo at 25 Aupuni Center or at the West Hawaii Civic Center on the second floor in the most mauka building. To register, one must be 18 years old, a U. S. Citizen, and a Hawaii resident.
The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot–for this election or for a permanent absentee ballot– is October 30. The League of Women Voters volunteers at Wiki Wiki Registration will have those forms, also.
Note, LAVA 105.3 fm radio is issuing a challenge to make Hawaii Island the “votingest” island in the state. Our voter turnout is generally low, sometimes as low as 40% even though in the last General Election our turnout was 53%. Our island’s percentage of voters was lower than the state’s. The LAVA 105.3 fm challenge: let’s register, let’s vote, let’s have more voters than the other counties!
A program note: learn about the Charter Amendments and the State Constitutional Amendments in a talk story with League of Women Voters co-president Donna Oba and former president Sue Dursin on Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m. on KKOA 107.7 fm and at 8 a.m. on LAVA 105.3 fm. The program will also be posted here at www.bigislandnewscenter.com down on the right
