Posted on: Saturday, September 18, 2004
ELECTION 2004
Honolulu, Big Island mayor races top ballot
| • | Voters' Guide |
By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau
Voters in today's primary election will choose from some 282 candidates seeking offices from Honolulu and Big Island mayor, to Honolulu prosecutor to seats on the City Council and in the state Legislature.
Polls open 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Voters will need to show a photo ID with a signature. To find your polling place and review your ballot, check the Office of Elections Web site at www.hawaii.gov/elections, or call (808) 453-VOTE. On the Big Island, Mayor Harry Kim is facing a challenge from former Councilman Dominic Yagong and other candidates.
A mayoral candidate could win the election outright by getting more than half of the vote. Otherwise, the top two vote-getters will advance to a runoff in the Nov. 2 general election.
The contest for Honolulu prosecutor, between incumbent Peter Carlisle and former Honolulu prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro, is among the races that will be decided with today's ballots.
For the first time this election, each of the state's 353 polling places will have at least one electronic voting machine designed for non-English speaking voters and voters with disabilities. The main election system for most voters is still the optical scanning system that has been in place since 1998.
While elections officials have had a difficult time recruiting poll workers, Office of Elections voter services coordinator Rex Quidilla said the state was close to having a full staff. He said officials were "cautiously optimistic" polls would run smoothly.
"There are always challenges that crop up on election day," Quidilla said. "We have a good staff here that are able to walk the precincts through the rough spots. And we have very good precinct officials who are experienced and can cope with some of the challenges.
The most high-profile contest is the nonpartisan race for Honolulu mayor, with leading candidates Duke Bainum and Mufi Hannemann. Former Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi is also among the 10 candidates on the ballot.
AT A GLANCE
