Hawaii Primary Election on Aug. 13: What you need to know

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Did you fill out your ballot yet? Next weekend will determine which candidates appear on November’s general election ballot for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, U.S. Senate and House, and other offices.

With Hawaii’s Aug. 13 primaries quickly approaching, here’s what you need to know.

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Is there still time to register to vote?

Yes, you may register online here at any time before or on Election Day. You need a Hawaii driver’s license or state ID card and a Social Security number to access the system.

It’s already too late to submit a paper register application by mail — the deadline to do this for the primaries was Wednesday, Aug. 3. However, you can still register in-person at one of the voter service centers and vote the same day.

There’s also still time to register for the Nov. 8 general election. You have until Oct. 31 to do this.

Other ways to register to vote:

Applicants can register to vote at the DMV when they complete a driver license or state ID application.
Voter registration is included when applying to receive public assistance with the Department of Health and Department of Human Services programs.
Applications are available at the following locations:
- U.S. Post Offices
- State Libraries
- Satellite City Halls
- Most State Agencies
- County Elections Divisions
- Office of Elections

Mail-in voting vs. In-person voting

Every registered voter in Hawaii should have received a ballot in the mail by now. Since Hawaii’s election is mostly by mail, no precinct polling places will be open. Mail-ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Aug. 13.

There is, however, an option to cast your ballot at one of the voter service centers where services are also available for replacement ballots and same-day voter registration.

Honolulu’s first “pop-up” voter service center opened on Monday, Aug. 1, at Kaneohe District Park. It’s open from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. until Friday, Aug. 5.

Voters should bring a photo ID, which may include:

State issued driver’s license
State issued identification card
Valid Passport
A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, government document, or paycheck bearing your name and current address.

Does my party affiliation matter?

For the Aug. 13 primaries, yes. Even if you don’t declare your political party when you register to vote, you can only vote for candidates belonging to one party on the primary election ballot. Be sure to follow this, otherwise your vote won’t count. These instructions are also written on the ballot.

However, for the general election, you can vote for any candidate, no matter their party affiliation.

What if I make a mistake on my ballot?

Don’t try to correct it by crossing it out or using Wite-Out Correction Tape. Call your county clerk and get a new ballot, or your vote won’t be counted.