Those who've combed through the roster of primary election candidates have seen it, and even then it's hard to believe.

There are 32 elective offices going uncontested this year.

Even more shocking: Of the 51 seats in the state House of Representatives, 21 will be automatically filled by incumbents because nobody's challenged them for the office.

There are a few gaping holes on the Democratic side of the ballot — GOP Reps. Lynn Finnegan and Cynthia Thielen are elected unopposed — but largely the Republican side of the House candidate roster is the ghost town.

An election season when an unpopular president is making his exit after eight years is certainly not the opportune moment for recruiting enthusiastic Republicans, to be sure — especially when the grassroots energy is swirling around the presidential run of a Hawai'i-born candidate.

The GOP's strategy here was to deploy its most talented contenders rather than simply filling vacancies. But yielding that many races without a fight is simply indefensible.

Party leaders must begin the work, even before the fall election, to ensure a better showing in 2010.

But the problem is more chronic: Judging by low-turnout voter trends over many years, the political process has failed to engage Hawai'i citizens.

It's this show of no-confidence in government that elected officials must remember when issues of openness and ethics are raised.

Exploring ways to make democracy more inviting, including broader public financing of campaigns, should be top of mind if voters call for a constitutional convention in two years.