Digital Town Hall

e.thePeople is the digital town hall of The Honolulu Advertiser. In cooperation with over 1,000 sites around the Internet, e.thePeople promotes intelligent and diverse discussion and political action.

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Stories • Higher turnout could have turned many races • Elections chief confident tallies will be accurate • Some refuse to use their vote • Election Day options studied • Program teaches kids value of voting • Voting meltdown a concern • Outreach may help turnout • Democracy by the few may be Hawai‘i’s fate • Disgust with system could be key to low voter turnout • Experts divided on cause of falling voter turnout • Voting changes prompt education • 'Olelo to help educate voters • Voter ed only receives $25,000 • Voter education waiting for money • Hawaiian vote key in race for governor • Hawai'i last in voter turnout Editorials • Give voters a reason to turn out • Hawai'i elections: why our turnout is terrible • The time to stamp out voter confusion is now • This year's candidates can rock the vote

Once one of the country's most involved constituencies, Hawai'i has fallen to the bottom among the 50 states and District of Columbia when it comes to voter turnout. How did a state that could once boast of a voter turnout rate as high as 96 percent in the 1960s plunge so dramatically?

The Honolulu Advertiser examines this crucial public issue as the state approaches one of the most important elections in its history. With Republicans hoping to build on a strong but unsuccessful showing in the 1998 gubernatorial election, Hawai'i Democrats could find themselves out of the top office they have held for over 40 years.

What will it take to get Hawai'i voters engaged? Follow our coverage as we examine the causes, ramifications and solutions to The Vanishing Voter.

Register to vote

To sign up to vote, you will need to fill out and send in a voter registration affidavit — and fortunately, they're pretty easy to find.

You will find one in any Verizon phone book, and on O'ahu in the 2002 Paradise Pages — just tear it out or make a copy.

Forms are kept at the all City or County Clerk's offices, U.S. Post Offices, public libraries and many state offices. There's a copy in the State of Hawai'i tax booklet. You also can register when you apply for or renew your driver's license. The form can be downloaded from the State Office of Elections Web site.

Deadlines for registering to vote in the 2002 elections are Aug. 22 for the primary election and Oct. 7 for the general election

You can also apply for an absentee voter ballot beginning July 23. Download an absentee ballot application at the elections office site. Absentee ballot applications are taken through Sept. 11 for the primary and Oct. 29 for the general election.

Find your district

The voting districts have been redrawn for this year's election based on the 2000 Census. You may not be in the same numbered district as in prior elections. Check the yellow voter registration card from the Office of Elections that you should have received in the mail informing you of your district and polling place. You can also download the new redistricting maps below or call (808) 453-8683 for information.

• Office of Elections election district maps (Adobe Reader required)

Where to vote

If you have not received a yellow voter registration card in the mail informing you of your polling place, call the Office of Elections at (808) 453-8683.

How to vote

The Office of Elections describes the procedures for voting you will need to follow when you arrive at your polling place on election day.