Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 8, 1 August 2016 — D0N'T FORGOT: PRIMARY ELECTION AUG. 13 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

D0N'T FORGOT: PRIMARY ELECTION AUG. 13

ByTreenaShapiro Hawai'i's primary election is just around the corner and it's an opportunity to voice your opinion on issues that matter to you. Our elected officials set the course for Hawai'i's future - determining how to spend taxpayer dollars, setting policies on the management of land and water, addressing critical housing needs and easing transportation woes. Remember, voting is a right, not a privilege and what you might perceive as an obstacle may be easily overcome. > DIDN'T REGISTER? Late registration is being accepted through Aug. 1 1 at early walkin locations, whieh means qualified residents ean register and vote on the same day. > NO PERMANENT ADDRESS? If you ean prove you're a U.S. citizen, a Hawai'i resident and at least 18 years old, you won't

be disqualified if you don't have a conventional physical address. The ACLU's website on voting rights in Hawai'i offers advice on how to register for adults who are homeless or living in temporary housing, a group home, shelter or any other non-permanent housing. https://acluhi.org/hawaiivotes. > NO GOVERNMENT ISSUED IDENTIFICATION? If you've voted in Hawai'i before, you ean vote without proof of identification. However, if it's your first time you'll need to show proof of residency. In addition to a Hawai'i driver's license or state ID, you could show a government document that shows your name and address, a current utility bill, bank statement, government eheek or paycheck. > HAVE A DISABILITY? All polling places are required to be ADA-compliant and there should be a variety of assistive devices for hearing, sight or mobility-impaired voters. For those who can't exit their vehicles, curbside voting assistance is available -just honk

or send someone in to notify a poll worker. > CAN'T MAKE IT TO A POLLING PLACE? You have until Aug. 6 to request a mail-in ballot - just make sure you fill it out and mail it back in time to be counted by times polls close at 6 p.m. on Aug. 13. > WORKING ON ELECTION DAY? See above. Also, the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and state law requires that voters be allowed to leave work for up to two hours to vote, provided you wouldn't have at least two hours to vote before or after your shift. This issue of Ka Wai Ola includes an eleetions insert featuring the candidates for four seats on OHA's Board of Trustees. In addition to the OHA races, the primary contests also include a U.S. Senate seat, two U.S. representatives, half of the state senators, all state representatives, the mayors of Honolulu and Hawai'i Island and numerous city and county eouneil seats. For more information about voting in Hawai'i, visit elections.hawaii.gov. ■