In the process, they agreed to a controversial clause that would allow random drug testing.

Hawai'i State Teachers Association executive director Joan Husted said 63 percent of the state's approximately 13,000 school teachers voted.

With ratification of the new contract, teachers will see a raise in pay of 4 percent in each of the two years of the contract, plus step increases.

The final ratification vote today differed dramatically from that two years ago, when 93 percent voted "yes" and just 7 percent voted "no."

"There was a lot more interest in absentee ballots (this time)," Husted said. "This is an election where absentee ballots make a difference. So we may look at some ways to change the process in the future. We'll take a look at walk-in voting," she said.

"We've never worried about it before because it never made a difference. Now that it does, we want to look at it for people who can't make the voting day. Is there a better way to do it?"