Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 19, Number 8, 1 ʻAukake 2002 — Your Vote Counts! [ARTICLE]

Your Vote Counts!

Your vote is your voice. At this crucial crossroads in history, with Hawaiian rights and entitlements at risk, your mana'o has the power to create a better Hawai'i for present and future generations of Hawaiians and the community at-large.

Your vote does count. Census 2000 data shows that nearly 25 percent of the state's current 1.2 million population have Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander blood. This means that the "Kanaka Nlaoli Vote" will be the decisive vote in the 2002 electoral races. In 1998, more than 100,000 Hawaiians signed up to vote for OHA trustees in the general election. It was the highest number of Hawaiians ever registered since OHA's first election in 1980. Next month, expecting an even bigger turnout, our votes could tip the scale in favor of issues that

directly affect us: housing, a living wage, education, the environment, self-determination, ceded-land revenues and putting more Hawaiians on homestead lands. Need to register? It's easy. If you have voted in the last two years, you already qualify to vote in the Primary and/or General Election. If you didn't, be sure to register. You ean register by mail, in person or even at the Department of f/Iotor Vehicles. Did you know there's a voter registration form right in your Verizon Yellow Pagps!

Forms may also be picked up at Satellite City Halls, all post offices, public libraries, OHA and all state agencies, and city or county clerks offices. Dovvnload the form at ■wrvvw.hawaii.gov/elections/voterreg.html. Trouble getting to the polls? If you cannot vote at your polling plaee for any reason on election day, consider the convenience of absentee voting. This is particularly convenient if you are a senior citizen or have a disability, Any person registered to vote may cast an absentee ballot. Applications are available at the places noted above and will be accepted up to a week before the primaiy and general elections. You ean also download the absentee ballot form on-line at www.sMe.bi.us/elections Aroteab.html. Ka Wai Ola will survey gubernatorial and Congressional candidates for publication in the Septembar issue and posting on the OHA website. Candidate and issue forums being planned by various eommunity groups like the Hawaiian Civic Clubs O'ahu Council (see Newsbriefs on page 3) ean also help you to make informed choices in the voting booth. ■