Permanent absentee voting applications are in the mail

LIHU‘E — The county Elections Division will be mailing an application for permanent absentee voter ballots to all properly registered voters of Kaua‘i. Applications should arrive between today and Friday, a county news release says.

Permanent absentee mail voting allows a voter to receive and cast a ballot for all future elections via absentee ballot.

To be granted permanent absentee voter status a voter needs to complete the application and return it to the Elections Division not less than seven days prior to the election, the release says. After being granted permanent absentee voter status a voter will automatically be mailed an absentee ballot for all upcoming elections until:

∫ The voter requests to terminate his/her permanent absentee status; or

∫ The voter dies, loses voting rights, or is otherwise disqualified from voting; or

∫ The voter registers to vote in another jurisdiction; or

∫ The voter’s ballot, voter notification (Yellow) postcard, or any other election mail is returned as undeliverable; or

∫ The voter fails to return a ballot by 6 p.m. election day in both the primary and general election of an election year.

Additionally, voters are responsible for keeping their voter registration and permanent absentee voting information updated, and for reapplying for permanent absentee voter status if it was terminated due to any of the aforementioned reasons.

Voters who want to receive an absentee ballot only for the upcoming election(s) or who may be temporarily away and need their ballots mailed to somewhere other than their permanent mailing address must complete and submit a seasonal (regular) absentee ballot application.

Seasonal absentee ballot applications are available online at www.hawaii.gov/elections. Voters without Internet access can call 241-4800 to request an application by mail.