Look who voted absentee

LIHU‘E — It might be too early to tell, but county elections officials are saying the number of people voting absentee for the Tuesday, Nov. 2 general election could set a record.

Some 4,526 people requested absentee ballots by mail, and as of yesterday 2,630 had been received by county elections officials.

Those who requested mail absentee ballots have until the close of the polls Tuesday, Nov. 2, to turn in those ballots, either via mail or in person at the historic County Building on Rice Street in Lihu‘e, or at any polling place on the island, said County Clerk Peter Nakamura.

Also as of yesterday, 2,538 people had voted absentee on a walk-in basis at the historic County Building. Absentee walk-in voting continues daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through and including this Saturday, Oct. 30.

“That is high,” Nakamura said of the numbers of absentee votes cast as of yesterday.

He thinks voting absentee is a growing, continuing trend on the island, one that is happening statewide as well as on Kaua‘i.

Those who are sick, off island, homebound, don’t drive or have cars, or simply like the ease of letting the mailman deliver their ballots, may be among those voting absentee, Nakamura said.

Also, though election day, Tuesday, Nov. 2, is a federal, state and county holiday, it is a working day for many voters, who take the opportunity to vote absentee so they won’t have to report to polling places and fight crowds on a working day, as opposed to the Saturday, Sept. 18 primary election, which for most people was not a working day, Nakamura said.

Elections officials are expecting large numbers of walk-in voters today through Saturday, so voters interested in voting absentee walk-in at the historic County Building should figure on needing up to 30 minutes to do so.

Paul C. Curtis, associate editor, may be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 224) or pcurtis@pulitzer.net.