For the first time in Hawaii County’s history, the number of people voting absentee exceeded the number of regular voters who cast their ballots on Saturday.
For the first time in Hawaii County’s history, the number of people voting absentee exceeded the number of regular voters who cast their ballots on Saturday.
Out of 101,728 registered voters, 43,347 of them voted for a 42.6 percent turnout, according to figures released by the state elections office.
Of those who voted, 53 percent, or 23,101, voted absentee. Those who voted the traditional way, at the polls, numbered 20,246, or 47 percent.
This is the first year that permanent absentee ballot registration forms were mailed to all registered voters, boosting the number of people registered to vote by mail.
Also, the creation of “virtual” precincts, for population areas with fewer than 500 voters, meant that people living in those areas were required to vote absentee, either by mail or at an early walk-in site.
This election’s 42.6 percent turnout is comparable to that of the 2008 primary election, which featured as candidates for mayor a County Council member, a former mayor and Billy Kenoi. In that race the turnout was 41.8 percent.