The traffic started flowing when the doors opened at 7 a.m., and except for a few lulls, Kaua’i voters kept the Kaua’i War Memorial Convention Hall busy until past closing time. Across the island, volunteers at Kaua’i’s 20 precincts reported
The traffic started flowing when the doors opened at 7 a.m., and except for a
few lulls, Kaua’i voters kept the Kaua’i War Memorial Convention Hall busy
until past closing time.
Across the island, volunteers at Kaua’i’s 20
precincts reported relatively high voter turnout compared to previous
years.
“This is heavier than normal,” said volunteer Virginia May as she
sat in front of the Convention Hall. “It would occassionally slow down, but
then all of a sudden it picked up.”
Occassionally, voters resorted to
standing in line as they waited to file their completed ballots.
“I’ve
never seen it like this,” said Lihu’e resident Eric Koda in front of Kaua’i
High School. I didn’t have to line up to get in, but I sure did to get
out.”
May said she thought the higher turnout was due in part to the
presidential and OHA elections.
“I guess they wanted to make a difference,”
she said.
Having volunteered on Election Day both on Kaua”i and the
mainland, Lihu’e resident may said she was also impressed by the munber of
children who accompanied their parents to the Convention Hall. Many of them,
she said, took part in the Kids Votoing USA program, in which youth voted on a
simplified ballot, which will be tabulated in the coming days.
“We’ve had a
lot of eager children in here today,” she said. “And every one of them is eager
to vote. I think that’s a good sign for the future.”
