It’s crunch time. Today is the last day to vote by mail, but I strongly encourage everyone to join me and vote in person today. Yes, vote in person!
See locations below –
I tried voting by mail but my ballot was returned by the office of elections with a note saying my signature did not match with the signature they had on file. My first thought was that I may have signed my middle name, or my middle initial, or not…and the therefore the sample they have on file did not match. Upon investigation, I discovered my return envelope and my wife’s return envelope had inadvertently been mixed up and we signed the wrong envelope.
So…since I did not want to just guess, take a chance and re-sign, and re-mail…I went down and voted in person. While in theory today is the final day to put your ballot in the mail, I’m encouraging everyone to consider voting in person – TODAY if possible! See the locations for every island below!
Statewide endorsements/recommendations – https://garyhooser.blog/2020/06/14/rebuilding-the-house-an-almost-complete-list-of-phi-endorsed-candidates/
Oahu County – https://garyhooser.blog/2020/07/21/2020-a-complete-list-of-oahu-candidate-recommendations-state-house-oha-prosecutor-council/
Kauai County – https://garyhooser.blog/2020/07/21/a-complete-list-of-kauai-candidate-recommendations-oha-council-cd2/
Hawaii County – https://garyhooser.blog/2020/07/21/a-complete-list-of-hawaii-county-election-recommendations-state-house-council-federal-oha/
Maui County – https://garyhooser.blog/2020/07/21/a-complete-list-of-maui-candidate-recommendations-state-house-council-oha-and-federal/
The official Pono Hawaii Initiative (PHI) endorsements are HERE.
https://ponohawaiiinitiative.org/endorsements-2020
Ballots must be mailed out no later than Monday, August 3rd to ensure the likelihood of being RECEIVED by the office of elections on or before August 8th.
However, to be absolutely sure your vote is counted, you should go to a Voter service center for accessible in-person voting, same-day voter registration, and collection of voted ballots. Hours of operation are July 27, 2020 – August 7, 2020 Monday through Saturday, excluding Sundays – 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Piikoi Building
4444 Rice St
Lihue, 96766
Kapolei Hale
1000 Uluohia St
Kapolei, 96707
Honolulu Hale
530 S King St
Honolulu, 96813
Mitchell Pauole Center
90 Ainoa St
Kaunakakai, 96748
Lanai Police Station
855 Fraser Ave
Lanai City, 96763
Velma McWayne Santos Community Center
395 Waena St
Wailuku, 96793
West Hawaii Civic Center
74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy
Kailua-Kona, 96740
County of Hawaii Aupuni Center
101 Pauahi St
Hilo, 96720
GaryHooser's Blog 
Not sure I understand how this could have happened to you. Our own envelopes are set to go out in today’s mail, and I just looked at them to be sure…our machine-printed names appear immediately below the signature panel, and complete name/address to left. So unless I misunderstood, you accidentally signed your name immediately above your wife’s printed name, and she also missed the reverse situation and did the same above your name…? (You didn’t mean the “secrecy” sleeve within the envelope, did you? Is that somehow marked to indicate the identity of the voter?)
You are correct. Perhaps we were in a rush, perhaps (or obviously) we were not paying enough attention…but I signed my wife’s envelope and she signed mine…so apparently we were both distracted or in a hurry…or otherwise At the office of elections, they told me that other married couples were making the same mistake. I remember paying close attention to the instructions, knowing that I had to get it right or risk having my ballot being voided. It’s a bit embarrassing actually but did want to share the experience with others so they might also not make the same/similar mistakes.
If putting your ballot in the wrong envelope (like you did) is rejected it could be a huge flaw in using mail to cast ballots. Many families discuss who they’re voting for at the dinner table and ballots could end up in the wrong envelope. Also, why is the voters’ signature on the outside of the envelope where everybody handling the mail can see it?
Mahalo for the comment! Agree that there is a learning curve for everyone, which is why I ended up just voting in person at the “Voter Service Center”. I still think “vote by mail” is a good thing…but it needs to be improved and will be I am sure over time.
I’m so thankful to receive your emails/blogs, particularly your recommendations and endorsements. I had been waiting to receive my ballot in the mail and was getting ready to make phone calls to track it down when lo & behold, my new neighbor comes to my door with some of my mail (my voting ballot!) that was put in his mailbox by mistake! I mailed my ballot this weekend but may also vote in person “just in case.” Mahalo for your insights and recommendations; you are a godsend!
Mahalo Stephanie for your generous words of acknowledgment. Thank you for being part of the solution and for being involved in our democracy. Please help spread the word to others and encourage family and friends to vote as well!