Governor Abercrombie Orders an Extension of Hours for Hawai'i Island Polling Places

Multiple polling locations on the Big Island opened late

News Release from www.Hawaii.gov/gov August 11, 2012

HONOLULU — Governor Neil Abercrombie has issued a proclamation to extend polling hours on Hawai'i Island only by an hour and a half today. Polling locations in the Counties of Maui, Kaua'i and Honolulu will close at the 6 p.m.; polling locations in Hawai'i County will close at 7:30 p.m.

This morning, there were multiple polling stations on Hawai'i Island that opened later than scheduled. The length of the delays varied from a few minutes in some places to more than a half hour in others, and almost an hour and a half in one location.

"The most important issue in this situation is to make sure that everyone who wants to vote can vote. By extending the poll hours, we are making that possible,” stated Governor Abercrombie. “I also want to thank all those who are working hard to assist at all polling stations across the state.”

Read the proclamation here.

* * * * *

Sen Josh Green Asks Abercrombie to Extend Polling in Kona

SA … state elections spokesman Rex Quidilla said the delays at three polling places were attributed to missing poll books.

He said the poll book that Kahakai precinct officials could not find initially was located in a sealed box that had been delivered earlier to the cafeteria.

State Sen. Josh Green, who has no primary opponent in the district, said he asked state elections officials to extend the polling hours in three affected sites for two hours.

However, Quidilla said the law does not give the state elections officer that authority.

Polling hours can only be extended by the governor if there is a natural emergency, Quidilla added.

Green said he would make the request to Gov. Neil Abercrombie.

He said he was at the Kahakai polling place since 8 a.m. and his poll watchers reported that 20 to 30 people were turned away. “Even my aunt couldn’t vote because she had to go to work,” Green said.

Besides, Kahakai Elementary School, poll books were missing at Kona Palisades Community Center in North Kona and Kona Vista Recreational Center in Kailua-Kona, Quidilla said. Those two polling places opened about an hour late.

read … No Power to Extend

* * * * *

Brian DeLima lodges complaint about West HI precincts

BIC: “We were advised that precincts in Kona opened up as late as 8:40. Because of that supporters emailed and advised our campaign that they couldn’t remain at the polls because they had to get to work. They were there as early as seven o’clock before the polls even opened up lined up ready to vote. After being frustrated that they could not enter the precinct to vote they had to leave and they immediately called or emailed us,” said DeLima.

After meeting with DeLima, Kawauchi advised him that she would have to “call the State.”

“I asked what the remedy was going to be, whether it was going to be extending the poll hours. The question was how are people gonna know that the hours are being extended? She indicated that they would be doing media releases. I think if they issue the media release that the polls will be open late, radio stations would cover it I hope as a public service at least once an hour. But first of all she indicated she had to call the State Office of Elections,” DeLima said.

Regarding publicity, BIC signed up for an email list to receive all media releases from the Office of Elections on Monday August 6, and has received none so far.

“We think the remedy should be extending the polling hours for those polls. But the only way the extension is gonna be helpful is if there’s a press release letting people know. I would hope that [the state] would agree,” De Lima said. “If they’re not gonna extend the hours, our campaign has asked me to consider filing an injunction to correct the problem. Well it doesn’t really correct it. To mitigate the error,” he added.

Local attorney Brian DeLima and State Senate District Two candidate Daryl Lee Smith discuss concerns outside the Office of Elections this morning.

Kawauchi returned approximately five minutes later with no answer for DeLima. She instructed him to call the State Office of Elections in front of witnesses BIC and State Senate District Two candidate Daryl Lee Smith. Seconds later, when DeLima requested the phone number, Kawauchi responded that she did not have the phone number and DeLima should “wait for a call from the State.”

read … Complaint from Gabbard Campaign

* * * * *

News Release from Hawaii County Clerk

As of 8:30 a.m. this morning, one precinct remains unopened, precinct 06-02. A supply issue is keeping the precinct from opening. Troubleshooters are en-route and are expected to be arriving shortly.

The Elections Division would appreciate it if you would please continue to broadcast these updates:

If voters have not yet mailed their absentee ballots back to the Elections Division, they may bring their ballot to any polling place location on Aug. 11, 2012, Primary Election day.

For polling place location information please visit the Hawaii County Elections website at www.hawaiicounty.gov/elections… or you may call the Hawaii County Elections Division at (808)961-4277 + 0 to speak directly with a telephone operator.

If you did not receive your yellow postcard telling you where your polling place location is, please call the Hawaii County Elections Division at (808) 961-4277 + 0 to speak directly with a telephone operator.

You may also visit a polling place nearest you and a precinct official will be able to direct you to your polling place location.

For polling place location information please visit the Hawaii County Elections website at www.hawaiicounty.gov/elections… or you may call the Hawaii County Elections Division at (808) 961-4277 + 0 to speak directly with a telephone operator.

Mahalo for your assistance with keeping voters updated on Primary Election Day!!

JAMAE K. K. KAWAUCHI

Hawaii County Clerk

* * * * *

RAW VIDEO: Ballots leave Hilo elections office early morning