Voter registration 'par for the course'

Voter registration for the primary election reached 667,679, a 5 percent increase over the 2000 election.

State elections officials say the increase roughly matches that from 1998 to 2000.

"The increase seems par for the course," said Rex Quidilla, administrative assistant to state elections chief Dwayne Yoshina.

The bigger challenge is getting those registered voters to show up at the polls.

In 1998, nearly 69 percent of registered voters actually voted. But in 2000, only 58 percent did.

Federal elections officials said Hawai'i's voter turnout in 2000, when compared to its voting-age population, was the lowest in the nation.

"The message that we are trying to get out is, this (registration) is only half the battle. That's only the first step," Quidilla said.

In 1998, statewide primary election registration was 582,558 and general election registration was 601,404. That year, like this year, had a hotly contested race for governor.

In 2000, primary registration was 629,162 and general registration was 637,349. It was a presidential election year.

This year not only has a high-profile governor race, but it has more seats up for re-election than any year in Hawai'i history — largely because reapportionment put the entire Legislature up for re-election. There are 127 seats with more than 400 candidates vying for them.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com or (808) 245-3074.