Proclamation lets Hawaii island voters register and vote in person

The State Chief Elections Officer and the Hawaii County Clerk have responded to a demand letter from the ACLU of Hawaii. That letter expressed concerns about the constitutionality of the Office of Elections’ original voting plan for precincts 4-03 and 4-04, which did not allow for in-person voting and registration on election day. Both of these precincts have been affected by the ongoing volcanic eruptions.

In a new proclamation dated July 6, 2018, the Office of Elections and the Hawaii County Clerk’s Office announced they will now open the Pahoa Community Center as a walk-in polling place for area residents to vote and register on the primary election day, August 11, 2018.

Executive Director Joshua Wisch said: “The ACLU of Hawaii extends our sincere thanks to Chief Election Officer Scott Nago and Hawaii County Clerk Stewart Maeda for the new proclamation issued today. As a direct result of their decision, taken in coordination with County of Hawaii Civil Defense, Hawaii Island residents who have been affected by the volcanic activity will now be able to fully exercise their right to vote. These voters will be able to benefit from same-day registration and be able to vote in person on election day. This is a great development for the voters of Hawaii Island. We applaud these officials and their teams for making it happen and are pleased to help spread the word.”