Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 37, Number 10, 1 October 2020 — Get Ready to Vote! [ARTICLE]

Get Ready to Vote!

By Aliantha Lim, OHA Community Outreach Advocate Hawai'i set records in August's primary elections with a historic voter turnout. The upcoming general eleehon on November 3 is even more critical. It will determine the next president of the United States. New mayors will be elected for O'ahu and Hawai'i, and the ballot also includes races for OHA trustees, U.S. Congress and county prosecutors. To learn where the candidates who have advanced to the general election stand on issues important to Native Hawaiians, eheek out Ka Wai Ola 's latest round of candidate survey responses (see pages 6-11). Learn more about the candidates and their vision for the future; become an educated and informed voter. Your Vote Counts! We've all asked ourselves, does my vote really matter? Yes, friends, it does. In the August primaries Rep. Lynn DeCoite beat challenger Walter Ritte by just 91 votes (East Maui, Moloka'i and Lāna'i). There were 313 blank votes, whieh, if used, could have changed the outcome. Do you still think your vote doesn't matter?

Hawai'i Votes by Mail! By now you know that Hawai'i votes by mail, and all registered voters will automatically receive their ballot in the mail 18 days prior to the election. Hawai'i's vote by mail is convenient, safe, and secure. You ean even monitor

the status of your ballot online to make sure it was counted. To register to vote, update your existing voter registration, or conhrm your registration address, please visit www.olvr. hawaii.gov by October 5 to ensure you receive your ballot in time. November 3 is a Holiday! Eleehon Day is a state holiday and it's the hnal day to submit your ballot and have your vote counted in the 2020 general elections. Registered voters must submit their eom-

pleted ballots by 7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3. Because of delays with the postal system, everyone is encouraged to vote as soon as they get their ballots in mid-October and mail them back right away. Remember to complete your ballot, sign it and plaee it in the provided secret sleeve before mailing. Ballots should be placed in the mail no later than October 28 (but earlier is better! ). For more information please visit www.oha.org/vote If you prefer to drop off your completed ballot in person, Voter Service Centers and/or ballot dropboxes are located on all majorislands except forNi'ihau, and in most communities. Voter Service Centers will be open beginning October 20 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and on November 3 from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Ballot dropboxes will be available beginning Oct. 14, and most willl be accessible 24/7. The last piekup from dropboxes statewide will be at 7:00 p.m. on November 3. For more information about drop-off locations and times go to: https://elections.hawaii.gov/voter-service-centers-and-places-of-deposit/ Our best advice: stay home, stay safe, and vote early! ■

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