Voter turnout already exceeds the 2018 primary

Maui County climbing past 43 percent in first year of all-mail voting

Voter turnout for Maui County in this year's primary election was over 43 percent as of Friday, already surpassing the dismal 36 percent turnout of 2018, according to the County Clerk's Office.

The new all-mail voting system has drawn 39,126 votes, topping 2018's primary election total of 34,105 votes. Of that total two years ago, 21,123 were votes cast by mail.

Most of the ballots that were in by Friday came by mail (38,671), while the rest were by in-person voting at voter service centers, which offer electronic voting. A total of 90,301 ballots were sent out to Maui County voters, and Maui County Clerk Kathy Kaohu is hoping to get 45,000 back.

"Maybe we will make it," Kaohu said Friday afternoon. "I don't know what made it in the mail today."

This is the first year that Hawaii is voting entirely by mail.

Of the ballots that have been turned in, about 490 had "no signature" or "mismatched signature" and more than 2,300 return envelope ballot packets have been marked as "undeliverable, return to sender," by the U.S. Postal Service, Kaohu said.

Voters who have not received a ballot or have any questions or problems should contact the Clerk's Office at 270-7749.

Normal polling places will not be open, but there are voter service centers available for in-person voting, same-day voter registration and collection of completed ballots.

These centers will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today at the following locations:

• Velma McWayne Santos Community Center, 395 Waena St., Wailuku.

• Mitchell Pauole Center Conference Room, 90 Ainoa St., Kaunakakai.

• Lanai Police Station Conference Room, 855 Fraser Ave,, Lanai City.

Ballots must be received by 7 p.m. today.

Kaohu said that voters should double check the status of their ballot before going down to a voter service center. She said the Clerk's Office has received calls from some people who actually forgot that they voted.

Voters should not place their ballots in the mail today, as it will not reach the Clerk's Office on time. Officials had recommended sending ballots by mail a few days prior to Election Day to ensure delivery.

However, they can be dropped off at designated deposit locations or the Clerk's Office, which is located at the county building, 200 South High St., Room 708, Wailuku.

Deposit locations will be spread out across the county. For hours of operation at each location, visit elections.hawaii.gov/voter-service-centers-and-places-of-deposit/.

Earlier this week, Kaohu said that because so many ballots have been coming in daily, she expects a similar volume today. So, an initial printout tonight may not signal a winner as election officials work to count incoming ballots.

She said there may be "enough activity to have the potential to change the numbers between the first printout and the second print and perhaps even the final printout."

Primary elections in Hawaii are usually slow, and Kaohu said the pandemic may also play a part in voter turnout this year. People's focus and priorities may be different. Working parents who are staying home with young children may be preoccupied with their families.

"I would be pulling out my hair right now," she said. "Maybe elections would not be top of mind for me."

But on the flip side, the mail-in voting system has come at the right time, allowing people to social distance and avoid gathering at polling places, Kaohu said.

* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.