State sees slight rise
in its voter registration

Political parties and unions are
working to add to the voter list

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Hawaii voter registration is running slightly above average, according to figures released by the state Office of Elections.

REGISTERED VOTERS Voter registration numbers county by county in 2004 compared with 2002: 2004 2002 Hawaii 85,183 88,499 Maui 75,096 77,946 Kauai 35,556 36,561 Honolulu 430,285 464,673 Statewide 626,120 667,679

Since the state cleaned or purged the voter rolls last year of dead, missing or moved voters, a total of 34,613 voters have registered, according to Rex Quidilla, state Office of Elections spokesman.

That is just above the average of 31,910 people who become registered between a general election in one year and the primary election two years later, Quidilla said.

Before the purge, there were 667,679 registered voters. After the purge there were 591,507. Now the number of voters eligible to vote in the Sept. 18 primary election is 626,120.

Quidilla said the Office of Elections has put voter registration forms in all telephone books, and people renewing their driver's licenses are encouraged to register to vote when they get a new license.

"We are trying to do whatever we can to make it as easy as possible to register," Quidilla said.

Besides the state effort, the political parties, unions and the major candidates for Honolulu mayor are also working to increase the number of potential voters.

The mayor's race could be won in the primary election, if one of the candidates gets more than 50 percent of the vote.

Two years ago, only 41 percent of Hawaii's voters exercised their right to vote. If the same percentage holds for this election, 176,417 voters will cast a ballot in the Honolulu election.

Half of that is 88,208, so the next mayor of Honolulu could be elected by as few as 88,210 voters.

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