About 27,000 ballots cast so far as Election Day dawns
Maui County mayor, council, governor, legislative races to be decided today
Election workers Bill Ramaila (left) and Paul Trusso (right) help Bruce Cary with his election ballots while he waits in his truck Monday morning. The drive-thru service was at the voter service center at the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center in Wailuku. The Maui News / MELISSA TANJI photos
Maui County Clerk Kathy Kaohu walks past some signs at the voter service center located in Wailuku Monday morning. Kaohu said that as of Saturday around 27,000 ballots had been received by her office. The service center and ballot drop boxes will close at 7 p.m. today across the state.
Election workers Bill Ramaila (left) and Paul Trusso (right) help Bruce Cary with his election ballots while he waits in his truck Monday morning. The drive-thru service was at the voter service center at the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center in Wailuku. The Maui News / MELISSA TANJI photos
Maui County Clerk Kathy Kaohu walks past some signs at the voter service center located in Wailuku Monday morning. Kaohu said that as of Saturday around 27,000 ballots had been received by her office. The service center and ballot drop boxes will close at 7 p.m. today across the state.
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The Maui County Clerk's Office had received about 27,000 ballots as of Saturday, County Clerk Kathy Kaohu said Monday on the eve of the general election.
That total is already close to the 28,488 ballots cast in early releases of the results during the primary election night in August. By the end of the primary, however, a total of 39,493 Maui County residents, or 34.8 percent of 113,427 registered voters at the time, had cast their ballots.
Maui County had the lowest primary turnout in the state. Hawaii County was at 41 percent, Honolulu County at 40 percent and Kauai County at 38.5 percent, according to data a day after the primary in August.
Although Hawaii now votes by mail, there will be voter service centers open for in-person voting, ballot drop-off and questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Maui, Molokai and Lanai.
The service centers are at the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center in Wailuku, at the Mitchell Pauole Center Conference Room in Kaunakakai and at the Lanai Community Center in Lanai City. There are also ballot drop boxes around the county which will be closed and ballots collected at 7 p.m. today.
On Monday morning, Kaohu said the voter service center was getting busier.
"Everyone's alarm clock went off," she joked while in the community center parking lot in Wailuku.
She said she was seeing a lot of senior citizens at the center.
There were no major issues as of Monday, but some people were coming in because they reported they did not receive their ballots in the mail, Kaohu said.
Election workers Paul Trusso and Bill Ramaila were handling the ballots at the drop box at the center's parking lot and said traffic was steady on Monday. They reported seeing more and more drop-offs the days before the election.
Some voters dropping off their ballots were pleased with the drive-thru service in the parking lot.
Ernie Gabuat of Waiehu said he votes in every election and liked the ballot drop box option.
He said that in a previous election he had to wait in a long line at the voter service center to cast his ballot in person.
Bruce Cary of Kula was also dropping off his and his wife's ballot.
After he handed the ballots to Ramaila and watched him deposit them in the box, Cary said he normally would go to the county building to drop off the ballots but since parking could be a challenge there he decided to come to the voter service center instead.
Those who cannot make it to the voter service center or to the Kalana O Maui County Building in Wailuku can drop off their ballots at other locations, including: Haiku Community Center, Hana Fire Station, Kahului Fire Station, Kula Fire Station, Lahaina Civic Center, Makawao Fire Station, Napili Fire Station, Paia Community Center and the Wailea Fire Station.
Kaohu said ballots need to be received at the drop boxes by 7 p.m. tonight. Workers will close the drop boxes at that time simultaneously across the state.
The state Office of Elections anticipates the first printout of votes may be issued around 7:30 p.m.
Kaohu asked for the public's patience during the voting process.
Those with any questions may call the Elections Division in Maui County at (808) 270-7749.
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.