Hawaii State Elections Chief Scott Nago says all is on track to have a good, clean, fair election next Saturday, August 11, when the Primary Election is held. Today, Saturday August 4, the elections offices statewide tested their ballot counting machines.
Independent observers attended the tests at the State and County Elections offices. The purpose of the test is to work out any kinks and make sure everything is working fine. Test ballots are used. State Elections Chief Scott Nago says the exercise is a critical test of the machinery, programming, and tabulation of total votes. Nago says the results are compared with the input. He says everything is ready for next Saturday.
Nago told the media on Oahu that he’s confident that all issues with Hawaii Island’s absentee ballots and registration have been resolved.
Walk in early voting is on now, and as of the close of voting Friday, 9,000 people had voted statewide in early voting. Any registered voter may take advantage of the early walk in voting this week, through Thursday. Those registered may vote at any of three locations: Waimea Community Center, Aupuni Center Conference Room at 101 Puahi Street, and West Hawaii Civic Center Monday through Thursday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Around 19,000 registered voters on Hawaii Island had signed up for absentee ballots prior to today. Today was the last day to request absentee ballots. Those getting absentee ballots may vote by mail or may go into their “usual” polling place on Saturday. If they use absentee ballots, they must be mailed to be received in the Elections Office by Saturday, or they may be dropped at any polling place, including the early walk in locations this week or any polling location or the County Elections Office on Saturday.
On Saturday, polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Those who registered to vote should have received yellow cards with information about their districts for County Council, State House, and State Senate, and the location of their voting precinct. Those who have applied for Absentee Ballots should have received the ballots by now. There are three “orphan” precincts on the island, where voters must vote either by mail or via early walk in voting.
Anybody who has not received their yellow card or their absentee ballots, or has any questions at all, should call the Hawaii County Elections Office at 961-8277.
