Posted on: Sunday, September 5, 2004

AFTER DEADLINE

By Andy Yamaguchi
Advertiser Assistant City Editor

Picking out a movie for Friday night? First, you check if Ebert gave it four stars or two.

Going surfing? Keep an ear on the weather report. Buying a new pickup? Borrow your uncle's Consumer Reports.

But vote?

Admit it. Every two years you step into the voting booth wishing you had done a little more research on the candidates ... before you resort to eenie, meenie, mynie, mo.

Some people do more homework selecting a toaster or a digital camera than they do in deciding which candidates may do the best job spending their tax dollars, fixing the potholes and enacting new laws.

It doesn't have to be that way. Information is out there.

A good starting point is The Advertiser Voters' Guide, which will be published in Thursday's newspaper. The 40-page special section will have profiles of 255 of the 282 candidates on the ballots statewide (we tried to get 'em all, but no such luck).

Relax, you won't have to bone up on all 255. But O'ahu voters will have the opportunity to vote for as many as 11 people, including candidates for Congress, mayor, prosecutor, the City Council, the Legislature and the Board of Education.

The Voters' Guide provides a snapshot of each candidate: their personal background, civic experience and their answers to a handful of questions on community issues.

We asked candidates for Honolulu mayor and the City Council whether they would support a tax increase to pay for a rail transit system.

We asked people running for the Legislature how they'd improve public schools.

We asked Board of Education hopefuls if their children attended public or private schools.

Each profile is about 120 words long — just a Spam musubi's worth of information, but presented in a format in which a voter can compare the candidates side by side and hear them articulate their positions in their own words.

The Voters' Guide is just a starting point. More information is available in newspapers, TV news, community forums, the candidates' Web sites and other sources.

The Voters' Guide provides phone numbers, e-mail addresses and Web site information for most of the candidates.

Not sure who will be on your ballot? The state Office of Elections maintains an excellent Web site (www.hawaii.gov/elections). It displays a link where voters can view their actual precinct ballot. The same link gives the address and directions to your polling place.

Go to the Office of Elections Web site and click on "Find Your Polling Place — Review Your Ballot."

Be pro-active in your information-gathering. Think about which issues are most important to you, so when Candidate ABC rings your doorbell on a Saturday morning, you'll be able to ask him or her, "When are you going to get that bypass road funded?" or, "Do you support local school boards?"

If you've read this far, it probably means you intend to vote. Bravo for you. Now take a little time to get the information you need to make an informed decision. Make the most of your right to choose your public servants.

Is your candidate four stars or two? That's up to you.

Andy Yamaguchi is an assistant city editor for The Advertiser and editor of the Voters' Guide. Reach him at ayamaguchi@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8049.