LIHU‘E — The Elections Division of the Office of the County Clerk will begin early voting services today in the Historic County Annex building in Lihu‘e. Until Nov. 3, properly registered voters of the County of Kaua‘i will be able
LIHU‘E — The Elections Division of the Office of the County Clerk will begin early voting services today in the Historic County Annex building in Lihu‘e. Until Nov. 3, properly registered voters of the County of Kaua‘i will be able to cast their votes from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
The General Election will be held Nov. 6.
“It’s to get voting out of the way, so you don’t have to deal with the rush on Election Day,” said County Elections Administrator Lyndon Yoshioka, adding that by voting early, residents don’t have to stress about taking time off on Election Day.
The Annex building is at 4386 Rice St., next to the Historic County Building in the Lihu‘e Historic District.
Yoshioka said those who would rather request absentee mail ballots have until Oct. 30 to do it.
To vote an absentee ballot by mail, voters need to write a letter to the County Clerk or submit an application for absentee ballot.
“But the letter has to contain all the information requested,” Yoshioka said.
A letter of request should be mailed to the County Clerk, 4386 Rice St., Suite 101 Lihu‘e, HI 96766-1819, containing the name under which the voter is registered; an address as registered, the voter’s birth date and Social Security number, an address to which the ballot should be mailed if different from the registered address, and the voter’s signature.
If a request for an absentee ballot is made for a different party (such as a wife requesting an absentee ballot for her husband), the letter must include the above information and be signed by all those requesting ballots.
Applications for absentee ballots have to be mailed directly to the County Clerk, according to the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes. Applications are available at the County Clerk’s Office, at state libraries, as a download at the Office of Election’s website, at state agencies and at post offices.
Completed applications should be mailed directly to the Office of the County Clerk no later than seven days before the election.
All absentee ballots must be received by the clerk issuing the ballots no later than the closing of polls on Election Day. Voters can also apply for permanent absentee ballots, which allows them to receive absentee ballots in future elections.
Political advertising
HRS prohibits campaign activities aimed at influencing votes within the polling place and within an area of 200 feet from the perimeter of the polling place and its appurtenances on Election Day — and during the early voting period.
Vehicles with political signs and stickers may remain within the 200-foot perimeter of the polling place only during the time that the vehicle’s owner is actually voting, according to the 2012 Candidates Manual published by the state of Hawai‘i.
“I’ll be in charge of patrolling,” said Eddie Topenio Jr., administrative assistance to the County Clerk. Topenio said he will periodically check the area near the Annex building for cars that have political stickers — and cover the stickers with masking tape — including cars belonging to Kaua‘i County Council members.
Other activities not allowed within the 200-foot perimeter of the polling place on Election Day and during early voting include political signs on public or private property; political clothing, including armbands, hatbands, shirts, mu‘umu‘u, dresses and campaign buttons; campaign pamphlets or other literature; public address systems and other public communication media; motor caravans or parades; and entertainment troupes or free food and/or services.
Candidates and their supporters are urged to check the 200-foot perimeter around each polling place and its appurtenances prior to Election Day to ensure compliance with the law. Maps which depict the 200-foot perimeter around each polling place are available at the Office of Elections. A map will also be posted at the polling place prior to the opening of the polls, according to the Office of Elections.
Election Day
On Election Day, Nov. 6, polling places will open at 7 a.m. and close at 6 p.m. But the state Office of Elections advises voters to avoid long lines at the polls by voting during non-peak hours, between 9 and 11 a.m., and again from 1 to 4 p.m.
Hawai‘i law provides that voters may be allowed two hours of time away from work to vote.
Kaua‘i County has three Districts and 16 precincts. The 14th District has five precincts spread through Hanalei, Kilauea, Anahola, Kapa‘a and Waipouli.
The 15th District also has five precincts, spread through Wailua, Hanama‘ulu, Lihu‘e, Puhi and Koloa. The 16th District has six precincts spread through Po‘ipu, Kalaheo, Hanapepe, Waimea, Kekaha and the last one in Pu‘uwai, Ni‘ihau.
Polling places on Nov. 6 in the County of Kaua‘i are:
• District 14 — Hanalei, Kilauea and Kapa‘a Elementary schools, Anahola Hawaiian Homes Clubhouse and Kapa‘a Neighborhood Center.
• District 15 — Kapa‘a and Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle schools, and King Kaumuali‘i, Wilcox and Koloa Elementary schools.
• District 16 — Koloa, Kalaheo, Waimea and Kekaha Neighborhood centers, Hanapepe Recreation Center and Ni‘ihau Elementary School.
From Primaries
to General
Those who cast their votes in the Primary Elections Aug. 11 will see a much different ballot Nov. 6.
In the Primaries, Kaua‘i residents cast their votes to county council members, county prosecutor, state representatives, state senator, U.S. senator and U.S. representative for Hawai‘i’s Rural District.
The Primaries considerably narrowed the field for candidates for U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives. Additionally, state Reps. Derek Kawakami, D-14th District, and Jimmy Tokioka, D-15th District, won’t be on the General Election ballot — both ran unopposed and are legally elected.
The main differences in the Nov. 6 ballot are that Kaua‘i residents will be able to vote for U.S. president, for an Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee for Kaua‘i and check “yes” or “no” on eight proposed amendments to the Kaua‘i County Charter.
Visit www.kauai.gov/elections or www.hawaii.gov/elections for more information.
• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.
