Voters have until 6 p.m. to drop off their ballots at the state Capitol in the special election for Hawaii's 1st Congressional District.

As the day wore on, a steady stream of voters stopped at the drop-off location to cast their ballots.

Today is the last chance for voters to cast ballots for the special election to replace Neil Abercrombie, who resigned his congressional seat to run for governor.

The Office of Elections will announce results shortly after 6 p.m. A voter official said the first results will include ballots from this morning and ballots turned in earlier.

By noon, more than 420 ballots had been dropped off at the drop off site fronting the state Capitol. Each of those ballots still must be verified, however, said Rex Quidilla, a state voter services supervisor.

"We have nothing to compare this to, but we thought that people would want this service," Quidilla said.

The drop-off box will be available to voters until 6 p.m. when the polls close, Quidilla said. Another drop box is available at the Pearl City elections office at 802 Lehua Ave.

The Office of Elections mailed out 317,000 ballots earlier this month for the special election. About half of the ballots _ about 163,000 _ have been returned, Quidilla said.

The election is to elect someone to serve the final seven months of the U.S House term of Abercrombie. A regular election for the next two-year term will be held this fall.

The 1st Congressional District comprises urban Honolulu, the area from Hawaii Kai to Mililani, Waipahu and Ewa Beach.

Fourteeen candidates are on the ballot in the special election, which is being conducted primarily by mail-in ballot.